Florida Railroad Crossing Laws

How Florida handles grade crossings

Florida's statute is titled stop or slow. Buses for hire, a school bus carrying children, and trucks hauling explosives or flammable liquids stop 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail; every other CMV must slow and confirm the tracks are clear (Fla. Stat. §316.159). Federal 392.10 still makes placarded loads and empty hazmat tanks stop. The ticket is a moving violation, and a conviction stacks a 60-day FMCSA CDL disqualification on top (49 CFR 383.51).

Who stops, how far, and the CDL risk

• Who must stop: Placarded + buses
• Stop distance: Not less than 15 feet and not more than 50 feet from the nearest rail (Fla. Stat. §316.159), matching federal 49 CFR 392.10.
• Clearance rule: Don't roll on unless you can drive completely across without stopping. Florida law says cross in one gear and don't shift while on the tracks (Fla. Stat. §316.159). Getting stopped on the rails is a disqualifying violation.
• Fine & CDL disqualification: A noncriminal moving violation (Fla. Stat. §316.159, ch. 318); the base fine is modest, but county court costs and surcharges push the ticket higher and it carries points. On top, FMCSA disqualifies your CDL for at least 60 days for a first grade-crossing offense, 120 days for a second within 3 years, and 1 year for a third (49 CFR 383.51).

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