When would you stop for a Schoolbus?

Question

I keep seeing questions on this site about stopping for schoolbuses (mainly posed by Americans, I believe). Are there actually laws about stopping for them in the USA, or is it just about making sure you don't hit kids?

Thanks in advance for helping this Englishman with his query.
Dac

Wow, American schoolbusses actually have flashing red lights and stop signs!

In the UK, they're just normal busses. The kids are expected to exersize common sense and not cross 'till it's safe.

Answer 1

In the US, school busses are specialized busses. They're painted bright yellow, emblazoned "SCHOOL BUS" front and rear, and are equipped with flashing red (and sometimes yellow) lights on the front and rear near the top along with a Stop sign that deploys from the offside whenever the door is opened. It's the law in every state that all traffic in the same carriageway come to a full stop whenever the lights are flashing and / or the stop sign is deployed.

Penalties for passing a stopped school bus are pretty stiff and can be as high as a drink-drive conviction in some states. A report of the license plate number by a bus driver is sufficient for a citation to be issued.

American school children are aware that the law requires all traffic to stop, and that most drivers do obey this law. As a result, it's not uncommon for a child to get off the bus and immediately cross the road in front of it without looking. Several children are killed every year by careless drivers disregarding the law.

The children of US Forces personnel stationed in Europe and the UK often have a hard time adjusting to the differences in school busses there. Traffic does not stop and actually stopping can even cost the car driver a fixed penalty for impeding traffic. Several children of US Forces personnel are killed every year, either being run over by the bus as it pulls away (RAF Lakenheath, circa 1996) or by being struck by a car that is passing the stopped bus.

Answer 2

It is a law in the United States. On the top of the school bus are four lights. Two red lights on the back of the bus near the top right and top left corners of the rear, and next to those lights are two yellow lights. The yellow lights are located just to the inside of the red lights.

When a school bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children, the bus driver will turn on the alternately flashing yellow lights to let drivers know they are about to load or unload. Once traffic has responded by stopping and it is safe, the driver will turn the alternately flashing red lights.

The law requires that once the alternately flashing red lights are on, no car can come closer than 20 feet to the bus, and no car can pass the bus. The safety zone for the bus extends all the way from one side of the road to the other side, so cars in both directions must stop. This is to insure that any children that need to cross the street can do so safely.

I teach this is driver's education, and the law is strictly enforced. If a car passes a bus with it's red lights flashing, the bus driver will report the license number, and the police will issue a traffic violation just based on the bus driver's report.

Answer 3

If the schoolbus' alternating lights (not just its hazard lights or four-way flashers) are flashing and the stop arm is out, then you must stop or face a fairly stiff fine. I have heard that the main thing is the stop arm - if the alternating lights are flashing, but the stop arm isn't out, you can supposedly still pass, but it is safest to stop and not take the chance.

In the first link below, the alternating lights are those big red lights up at the top of the bus on either side of the "SCHOOL BUS" sign. The stop arm is extended in the second link below.

Answer 4

School buses have flashing red stop signs attached to them in the us. When the bus stops to pick up or let off kids, the stop sign flips out and the brake lights of the bus blink. All oncoming traffic must stop unless the road is divided by a median. Also, same side traffic may not pass a bus with flashing lights and or the stop sign out.

Answer 5

When the school bus stops, and they are letting people off, the red "stop" flashing sign fans out and traffic on BOTH sides must stop. It's a moving traffic violation if you try to cut around the bus. Running that flashing stop sign is like any other stop sign.

Answer 6

Here in the USA, we do stop for school buses.
Anytime that you see the red stop signs come out and lights are flashing, it would be a good idea to stop unless you're on a sub divided highway.

Though i haven't received a ticket, I have seen someone else receive one.

Your local law enforcement may be able to give you further details if still not satisfied.

Answer 7

School buses are equipped with red lights. (Front and rear, plus a swing out 'STOP' sign). When those red lights are activated, the children being released from the bus are probably going to cross the road. The law states you must stop and wait until the lights are off before proceeding.

http://www.billp.com/blog/images/school.jpg

Answer 8

yeah it is a rule out here. when the red lights flash on a school bus you must stop until the bus cuts them off. even if the bus is moving you cant but if the bus is 3 blocks away then u can catch up with it but cant pass it up

Answer 9

When the red lights are on. And according to the law of the state you are in. IN Nevada they do not play games. You can get a very expensive citation for infactions near school buses.

Answer 10

If the school buses red lights are flashing you must stop its a law