Always stop before you cross railroad tracks when:

• A. A police officer signals you to stop.
• B. There is a break in the tracks.
• C. You don't have room on the other side to completely cross the tracks.
• D. You're in a hurry.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is to avoid getting trapped on railroad tracks. You should stop before crossing if there isn’t enough room on the far side to completely cross and clear the crossing. This matters because trains can be fast and you may not have time to finish crossing if you’re partway across. By stopping beforehand when you can’t finish crossing, you prevent ending up stuck on the tracks with a train approaching.

In this scenario, not having room on the other side to completely clear the tracks is the safest condition to stop for, rather than attempting to squeeze through or crossing anyway. While a police officer’s signal to stop must be followed, it doesn’t replace the rule about needing adequate space to finish crossing. A break in the tracks or rushing through are not proper reasons to alter this safety practice, since trains don’t follow our pace and can be dangerous at any moment.