What Is the Rule for Stopping for a School Bus

If a school bus is stopped in a lane to pick up or drop off passengers, the following rules apply to other drivers on the roadway. After a school bus stops to let students off, watch out for children on the side of the road. Drive carefully and be prepared to slow down and stop when you are near a school bus. If you approach a bus with flashing red lights and/or a red « STOP » sign, it means that children will have to get on or off the bus and stop you. Children waiting for or exiting the bus can jump into traffic. Even when the school bus is not in sight, children sometimes run unexpectedly down the street to a bus stop. Always be careful near school buses and school bus stops. When hitting or passing in both directions, a school bus stops with flashing red lights. The driver must not continue until the school bus is running again or the flashing red lights are no longer on. Once the red light on the school bus has stopped flashing, watch out for children on the side of the road and do not continue until they have completely left the roadway. The risk of injuring a child while crossing the street is increased when loading and unloading a school bus. Be wary of children who may try to return to the bus after unloading. You will need to stop for a school bus if there are two continuous yellow lines between the lanes, regardless of whether the school bus is on your side of the street or across the street.

There is only one exception to the school bus stop. If you are approaching a school bus that is stopped with flashing red lights and an outstretched stop arm, and you are driving on the opposite side of a separate highway (e.g., concrete/metal barriers, guide rails or trees/rocks/streams/median ), you do not need to stop. Reduce your speed and continue to drive safely. You will need to stop for a school bus that stops with its red lights, whether on your side of the street, across the street, or at an intersection you are approaching. You do not need to stop for a school bus with red lights if the stopped school bus is going in the opposite direction and on the roadway: you must stop for a stopped school bus if you are driving on a two-lane road. If you are passing a school bus, you should not pass when the red or yellow lights are flashing. Drivers must stop for a stopped school bus while driving on a two-lane highway. You will need to stop for a stopped school bus with flashing lights loading or unloading passengers. On a shared highway, you don`t need to stop for a stopped school bus, even if the lights are flashing, as long as you`re in the opposite lanes. This applies to all states, except: School bus laws vary from state to state.

Many drivers are confused about the exact school bus laws in their area and do not understand the right-of-way rules. In fact, it is estimated that in New York State alone, more than 50,000 motorists illegally pass buses every day! This quick guide will help you determine the exact school bus laws in your state. It is illegal to pass a school bus that has stopped and turned on its red lights. Never go from any direction when the red lights are on. The fine if you pass a stopped school bus ranges from a minimum of $400 for a first offence to a maximum of $1,500 for three offences in three years. If you are convicted of three of these offences within three years, your driver`s licence will be revoked for at least six months. Yellow lights – School buses have two alternating flashing yellow lights at the front and rear. They are activated about 10 seconds before flashing red lights to warn drivers of approaching vehicles that a stop is imminent to load or unload schoolchildren. Approach a bus that lights these yellow lights with caution and expect a stop. Children can wait for the bus or run to get on it. School buses are equipped with yellow and red flashing lights.

When the school bus driver turns on the yellow lights, he warns other drivers that the bus will slow down and the children will be loaded or unloaded. As soon as the bus stops, the red lights and stop arm are activated. You must stop at least 20 feet from a stopped school bus with its red lights.