What is the preferred action when you approach a railway crossing with activated signals?

When approaching a railway crossing with activated signals, the preferred action is to stop and wait for the signals to clear. This is crucial for your safety, as activated signals indicate that a train is approaching or is currently on the tracks. Ignoring these signals and proceeding cautiously can lead to a potentially fatal collision.

Stopping ensures that you give yourself time to assess the situation and confirm that it is safe to cross once the signals have stopped flashing.

Moving on to the other options, proceeding cautiously without stopping overlooks the essential safety rule of respecting activated signals, which are designed to prevent accidents. Looking for trains before continuing also poses a risk, as a train can come from either direction unexpectedly, and relying on sight alone can be dangerous. Turning around and finding another route might seem like a prudent choice, but it is not necessary when the proper action is to simply stop and wait for the signals to clear, as alternative routes may take more time and could still lead you to dangerous crossings.