How do I Stop for School Bus Signs?
President Herbert Hoover once called children "our most valuable natural resource." So it stands to reason that U.S. lawmakers make an extra effort to protect the nation's children. In Pennsylvania, motorists who are caught passing an extended school bus sign lose their driving privileges for 60 days; in New York, violators can be jailed 30 days for their first offense and 180 for their second. With penalties as harsh as these, it's probably a good idea to know exactly what to do when you encounter an extended school bus sign.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Maintain plenty of distance between your vehicle and the school bus in front of you. In most states, motorists are expected to keep a 10- to 20-foot safety zone between their vehicles and stopped school buses.
-
2
Watch for the school bus's flashing red and/or amber lights, located on the rear of buses. These begin flashing as the driver prepares to make a stop. Prepare to do the same as soon as the lights start flashing.
-
-
3
Bring your car to a complete stop when a school bus driver extends the stop sign. Impatient drivers who begin inching forward can be charged with a moving violation and will likely be penalized just as harshly as if they didn't stop at all.
-
4
Keeping an eye on the students will ensure none have slipped into your blind spot. Watch the children who have exited the bus so you'll have a good idea of where they are when you start driving again. It's easy for kids to slip into blind spots when you're not paying attention.
-
5
Don't move your vehicle until the bus driver has fully retracted the stop sign. Press down firmly on your brake pedal until the bus driver fully retracts the stop sign. Accelerating before this happens---even if the children have finished exiting the bus and the driver has closed the door---is illegal.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
State laws differ. New York requires all drivers to stop---regardless of which side of the road they're on. Others, like Ohio, don't require stopping if the roadway is divided into four or more lanes. Still others, like Florida, excuse head-on traffic from stopping only if there's a physical barrier or at least 5 feet of unpaved road separating the opposing lanes. Find out the law in your state.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit school bus stop sign image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com children waiting on bus image by sonya etchison from Fotolia.com stopped bus image by Kimberly Reinick from Fotolia.com
