(A) The driver of any of the following vehicles shall, before crossing a railroad track or tracks at grade, stop that vehicle within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail, and while so stopped, shall listen and look for the approach of a train, and shall not proceed until that movement can be made with safety:
(1) Any Second Division vehicle carrying passengers for hire;
(2) Any bus that meets all of the special requirements for school buses in 625 ILCS 5/12-801, 5/12-803 and 5/12-804;
(3) Any other vehicle which is required by federal or state law to be placarded when carrying as a cargo or part of a cargo “hazardous material”, as defined in 430 ILCS 30/3. After stopping as required in this section, the driver shall proceed only in a gear not requiring a change of gears during the crossing, and the driver shall not shift gears while crossing the track or tracks.
(B) This section shall not apply:
(1) At any railroad grade crossing where traffic is controlled by a police officer or flagger;
(2) At any railroad grade crossing controlled by a functioning traffic-control signal transmitting a green indication which, under law, permits the vehicle to proceed across the railroad tracks without slowing or stopping; except that, subsection (A) above shall apply to any school bus;
(3) At any streetcar grade crossing within a business or residence district; or
(4) At any abandoned industrial or spur track railroad grade crossing designated as exempt by the state’s Commerce Commission and marked with an official sign as authorized in the state’s Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways.
(625 ILCS 5/11-1202) (2000 Code, § 71.081) Penalty, see § 71.999