Most people are aware of the danger of passing a school bus, especially if children return to school in the fall. However, most people are not exactly sure how or when it is safe to pass a school bus. Luckily, there are a few ways to ensure that you keep students safe and avoid serious consequences.
Five rules to follow around buses
It’s not enough to teach children safety surrounding buses. Drivers need to follow their own rules too in order to make passing a safe activity for everyone:
- Motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that are flashing red lights and extended their stop signs.
- Drivers should stop behind a bus whenever it is stopped, whether you are meeting the bus at an intersection or on a street.
- If you are traveling alongside or following a bus, you have to stay stopped until the red lights stop flashing, stop sign is withdrawn and all students make it to their destinations.
- You cannot proceed until all children cross the road or depart safely from their stop.
- If there is a physical barrier, you do not have to stop if you’re driving from the opposing direction. You do need to stop if there isn’t a physical barrier.
The consequences for breaking the rules
Following these rules means you’re following the law and practicing safe driving techniques. However, it’s very easy to violate these rules if you aren’t paying attention or in a complicated stop. There are several penalties if you are caught violating these laws, such as:
- $250 fine
- Five points on a driving record
- 60-day license suspension
And this may be easier to catch as more schools may implement cameras on school buses to catch drivers who pass school buses unlawfully. It’s critical for drivers to keep on eye out for buses and also, on eye on their defense, just in case.