When Do I Stop? Do you know your School Bus Rules?
It seems everyone has their own interpretation of what you’re supposed to do when you see a school bus stop. Some of us stop when we see the yellow lights flash. Some wait for the red lights. Some hit the gas because they’re already running late for work. Maybe this can help from PennDOT:
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Motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop arm extended.
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Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety.
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If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.
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Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.
The penalties if convicted of violating Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law include:
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$250 fine
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Five points on your driving record
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60-day license suspension
For more information, review Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law Fact Sheet.
