Trucks, school buses, work zones and trains

Key points

1. At 55 mph a car can stop in 240 feet, but a truck takes about 450 feet or more.

   Source: Handbook p. 109

   “A car traveling at 55 MPH can stop in 240 feet however a truck traveling at the same speed of 55 MPH, takes about 450+ feet to stop.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 109

2. If you cannot see the truck's mirror, the truck driver cannot see you.

   Source: Handbook p. 109

   “If you can’t see the truck’s mirror, the driver cannot see YOU.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 109

3. Never move into the open space on a truck's right if it may be turning right.

   Source: Handbook p. 110

   “Do NOT move into that space or try to pass a truck if it might be making a right turn.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 110

4. Children should stay 10 feet away from a school bus and never go behind it.

   Source: Handbook p. 111

   “Children should stay ten feet away from the school bus and NEVER go behind the bus.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 111

5. Obey traffic directions from highway construction personnel, even when those directions differ from traffic lights and signs.

   Source: Handbook p. 35

   “Traffic control can also be provided by law enforcement, highway construction personnel or school crossing guards. Drivers must obey directions from these individuals, even if the directions are different than what the traffic lights and signs indicate.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 35

6. Drivers must always yield the right of way to trains; it is the law.

   Source: Handbook p. 113

   “Drivers must ALWAYS yield the right of way to trains because IT’S THE LAW.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 113

7. A train going 55 mph takes a full mile to stop.

   Source: Handbook p. 113

   “A train traveling at 55 miles per hour takes a full mile to stop.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 113

8. If you are on the tracks when the lights start flashing or the gates come down, keep moving.

   Source: Handbook p. 114

   “If you are crossing the tracks and the warning lights begin flashing or the gates start coming down, don’t stop. KEEP MOVING!”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 114

9. If your vehicle stalls on the tracks, everyone should get out right away, even if no train is in sight.

   Source: Handbook p. 114

   “If your vehicle stalls on the tracks, all occupants should exit the vehicle immediately and get away from the tracks even if you do not see a train.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 114

10. If a train is coming, run toward the train at a 45 degree angle to stay away from and behind the point of impact.

    Source: Handbook p. 114

    “If a train is approaching, run toward the train at a 45 degree angle. This allows you to be away from and behind the point of impact, to prevent injury.”
    Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 114

Numbers to know

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the Tennessee practice test

1. 1. Who has the right-of-way when a driver approaches railroad tracks?

   1. The vehicle that reaches the crossing first
   2. The vehicle traveling faster
   3. The train
   4. The driver closest to the center line
   Show answer

   The train. Tennessee requires drivers to yield the right-of-way to trains because a train cannot stop or swerve like a passenger vehicle. Reaching the crossing first, traveling faster, or being positioned near the center line does not change that priority. Slow well before the tracks, look and listen, and never race a train to the crossing. The large difference in stopping ability is the safety reason behind the rule, not a suggestion to negotiate.

2. 2. How far should children stay from a school bus when they are outside it?

   1. Twenty feet
   2. Two feet
   3. Five feet
   4. Ten feet
   Show answer

   Ten feet. The school-bus danger zone surrounds the bus, so children should stay ten feet away and never go behind it. The distance creates space from the bus's blind areas and moving traffic. Five giant steps are described as a practical way for children to escape the zone, but that is not the same figure as the ten-foot rule. Drivers should stop far enough away to preserve that safety space and watch for children retrieving belongings.

3. 3. Whose directions must drivers obey even when those directions differ from a traffic signal?

   1. Only another driver who has a vehicle larger than yours
   2. A police officer who is off duty and riding as a passenger in a car
   3. Any other driver who is waiting behind you and motioning you through
   4. A law enforcement officer, highway worker, or school crossing guard controlling traffic
   Show answer

   A law enforcement officer, highway worker, or school crossing guard controlling traffic. Traffic control may be provided by authorized people as well as by signs and signals. A law enforcement officer, highway construction person, or school crossing guard may direct traffic, and drivers must follow that direction even when the light or sign appears to say something else. The size of another vehicle, an off duty officer riding along, and a driver's waving have no controlling authority. Slow down, identify the person giving directions, and comply smoothly. This rule prevents a driver from following a signal into a work area or crossing movement being managed by a person.

Source: the Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Chapter C-3: Sharing the Road Safely. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.