(a) The driver of any motor vehicle carrying passengers for hire, or of any school bus whether or not such school bus is carrying any school child, or of any vehicle carrying explosive substances or flammable liquids as a cargo or part of a cargo, before crossing at grade any track or tracks of a railroad, shall stop such vehicle within fifty feet (50') but not less than fifteen feet (15') from the nearest rail of such railroad, and while so stopped shall listen and look in both directions along such track for any approaching train, and for signals indicating the approach of a train, except as hereinafter provided, and shall not proceed until the driver can do so safely. After stopping as required herein and upon proceeding when it is safe to do so, the driver of any such vehicle shall cross only in such gear of the vehicle that there will be no necessity for changing gears while traversing such crossing and the driver shall not shift gears while crossing the track or tracks.

(b) No stop need be made at any such crossing where a police officer or a traffic-control signal directs traffic to proceed.

(c) A violation of subsection (a) is a Class B misdemeanor.

[Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 46; T.C.A., § 59-847; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 113; 1991, ch. 134, § 1; 2001, ch. 73, § 1.]