Final answer:
The car's driver may have overestimated the distance of the train at a railroad crossing due to the monocular depth cue known as linear perspective.
Step-by-step explanation:
The parallel tracks stimulated the monocular depth cue of linear perspective.
Linear perspective is the phenomenon where parallel lines appear to converge as they recede into the distance, simulating an illusion of depth, as seen in the case of railroad tracks.
This is exemplified in artwork using orthogonal lines that meet at the vanishing point on the horizon line, creating a sense of depth.
Our perception of the world includes both monocular cues, which can be seen with one eye, and binocular cues, which rely on both eyes.
These perceptual cues help us to process our three-dimensional world on two-dimensional surfaces, such as in paintings or photographs.