Railroad crossing signs
Look sign
Posted where a sidewalk or shared-use path crosses railroad tracks, telling people walking or riding a bike to look both ways along the tracks before they cross.
- Wide rectangle
- White
- MUTCD R15-8
Shape and background first
Federal designation R15-8 in the MUTCD, the national standard every state signs to. Mounted on its own post, set farther from the path or sidewalk than the crossbuck.
What the MUTCD specifies
Designation: R15-8
MUTCD Section 8E.03
Option: LOOK may be used at a pathway or sidewalk grade crossing to remind its users to check both directions.
Source: Federal Highway Administration, MUTCD 11th Edition (December 2023), Part 8, Table 8B-1; Section 8E.03, verified 2026-09-26.
What the test wants you to know
The mistake people make
It is a regulatory sign, white with black legend, not a yellow warning, which is the detail that catches people out. It is aimed at people on the path or sidewalk rather than drivers, but the lesson is the same for everyone: look both ways along every track before crossing.
