What does Highway Code Rule 298 say?

Rule 298 (Level crossings (rules 291 to 299)) Open crossings. It is advisory guidance rather than law, but you are still expected to follow it and an examiner can mark a fault if you do not.

Is Rule 298 the law or just guidance?

Rule 298 is advisory, it does not use “MUST” or “MUST NOT”, so it is not directly enforceable as a standalone offence. You are still expected to follow it, and ignoring it can contribute to a careless- or dangerous-driving charge and to faults on your test.

How is Rule 298 tested on the driving test?

Roadworks, crossings and tram routes can appear anywhere on a test route. The examiner watches that you read temporary signs and signals correctly and adjust your speed and position in good time, without hesitating unnecessarily.

What are the common mistakes related to Rule 298?

The faults examiners most often record around this part of the Code are: choosing the wrong lane because the temporary signs were read too late; braking harshly at a crossing or signal that should have been anticipated; stopping over a marking or in a box junction when the exit is not clear. Rehearsing the safe habit during lessons is the most reliable way to avoid them.

Highway Code · Rule 298

Highway Code Rule 298

Road works, level crossings and tramways (288 to 307). Advisory guidance you are expected to follow.

Road works, level crossings and tramways
Advisory rule
OGL v3.0

What the rule says

Advisory

Rule 298 (Level crossings (rules 291 to 299)) Open crossings. These have no gates, barriers, attendant or traffic lights but will have a ‘Give Way’ sign. You should look both ways, listen and make sure there is no train coming before you cross.

Rule text reproduced verbatim from the official Highway Code (Crown copyright) under the Open Government Licence v3.0, see the attribution at the foot of this page.

In plain English

Stripped of the formal wording, Rule 298 comes down to one idea: rule 298 (Level crossings (rules 291 to 299)) Open crossings. It is advice rather than law, but examiners and the courts still treat it as the expected standard of safe driving.

It belongs to the road works, level crossings and tramways part of the Code, the habits a confident, considerate driver builds until they are automatic. The aim is not to memorise the sentence word for word, but to understand the hazard it protects you from, so you apply it without having to think when it counts.

If you are learning, treat this rule as one piece of a connected set rather than an isolated fact. The related rules below sit in the same section and reinforce each other, reading them together is how the road works, level crossings and tramways part of the Code starts to feel like common sense rather than a list to revise.

Because this is advisory rather than legal, no one will fine you for the rule alone, but ignoring it can still count against you in a careless-driving case, and it will cost you faults on the test. Either way, the safe move is to build the habit early, while a driving instructor can correct it, rather than relearning it under test pressure. That is exactly what the practice routes and coaching in the DriveRoutes app are designed to help with, turning the rules below into the way you naturally drive.

Why rule 298 matters on the road

Temporary layouts remove the cues drivers rely on, so the risk of a wrong-lane decision or a late stop climbs. Reading the signs early and committing to the correct lane keeps you and the road workers safe.

Common faults examiners record

In the road works, level crossings and tramways part of the Code, the faults most often written on the marking sheet tend to be the same handful. Knowing them in advance is the quickest way to drive them out of your own habits:

Choosing the wrong lane because the temporary signs were read too late.
Braking harshly at a crossing or signal that should have been anticipated.
Stopping over a marking or in a box junction when the exit is not clear.

On the day

On the day, applying Rule 298 is about doing the safe, deliberate thing slightly earlier than feels necessary: read the situation in good time, observe fully, and act smoothly. The examiner is looking for planned driving, not perfection, and good habits formed in lessons carry you through.

Quick checklist

Read the situation early and plan your response.
Observe fully before you commit to anything.
Keep your speed suitable for the road and conditions.

More from Road works, level crossings and tramways

Related Highway Code rules

Rule 298, your questions

: Rule 298 (Level crossings (rules 291 to 299)) Open crossings. It is advisory guidance rather than law, but you are still expected to follow it and an examiner can mark a fault if you do not.

DriveRoutes is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).