Continuously check mirrors to monitor the danger zones for students, traffic, and other objects. If you see flashing yellow lights, that means the school bus is about to stop. Follow your schools procedures for discipline or refusal of rights to ride the bus. When a school bus stops and flashes its red lights, traffic approaching from either direction. When amber lights begin flashing on top of a school bus, they mean that the school bus is slowing down and preparing to stop. Operation Safe Stop is a proactive approach to educate the motoring public that passing a stopped school bus, when children are loading or unloading, is dangerous and illegal. The blind spot behind the bus extends 50 to 150 feet and could extend up to 400 feet depending on the length and width of the bus. The bus is stalled on or adjacent to a railroad-highway crossing. If the lamp stays on after the bulb check, or goes on once you are under way, you may have lost ABS control at 1 or more wheels. - When a school bus turns on its flashing lights or the driver extends the stop signs on the sides of the bus, you muststop your vehicle at least 5 metres (16 feet) away from the bus. Change the way you normally brake. Parents, legal guardians, or chartering parties are prohibited from transporting on a bus that is equipped with safety belts, or permitting to be transported on a bus that is equipped with safety belts, a child, ward, or passenger who is under 8 years of age and under 4 feet 9 inches in height, but under 16 years old, unless they are properly restrained by a safety belt. Our online ordering system makes it easy. Drivers break the law if they do not stop immediately. Drive normally, but get the system serviced soon. The advance warning sign tells you to slow down, look and listen for the train, and be prepared to stop at the tracks if a train is coming. Check for pedestrians - especially near schools, bus stops, playgrounds, parks, and behind parked cars. Watch for children - they can come from all directions, especially if they're running late. Other states with similar rules include West Virginia, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Any discrepancies or differences created in the translation are not binding and have no legal effect for compliance or enforcement purposes. Be certain the bus has enough containment or storage area to completely clear the railroad tracks on the other side if there is a need to stop. If your child rides the school bus . First of all, slow down. In order to get students to and from school safely and on time, you need to be able to concentrate on the driving task. If you re going the opposite direction, though, passing a school bus with flashing yellow lights is okay. For people convicted of the offense more than once, the law allows for the person's driver license to be . In California, the law states that: Drivers behind school buses must stop when school buses stop and display their flashing red lights (and extend their stop signs, if equipped). You must proceed with caution and watch for children by the side of the road. Each. While the red lights are flashing, drivers need to bring the vehicle to a complete stop behind the school bus. Post a lookout. You are in a very demanding situation when entering these areas. The entire area in front of the bus from the front bumper at ground level to a point where direct vision is possible. For more information, please visit the Operation Lifesaver website. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Police officers, school crossing guards, and even school bus drivers themselves may have the . Lastly, New York is one of the few states where you must stop, even on the opposite side of a divided highway. When approaching a school bus traveling in the opposite direction, a driver must slow the vehicle to 20 miles per hour or less when yellow lights are seen, and be prepared to stop when the stop arm is extended and red lights flash. on roads that are divided to separate the directions of travel, in the direction that the bus is traveling. School buses are equipped with yellow, amber or red flashing lights. According to the California law (CVC 22454), motorists must remain stopped as long as the red lights on the school bus are flashing. When should you activate your alternating flashing amber warning lights? Watch for lane changes! Students should wait in a designated location for the school bus, facing the bus as it approaches. If you're behind it, it's illegal to pass on the right side. If necessary, have the mirrors adjusted. The front of the school bus must remain behind this line while stopped at the crossing. Retrieve emergency equipment. Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped. Stop the bus. 682. This is becoming a concern in School District No. Even though there are safety guidelines for boarding the bus, driving near school buses comes with different rules than regular traffic. Keep a strong grip on the steering wheel. What does this mean for drivers and preventing auto accidents? . If there is no white line painted on the pavement, you must stop the bus before the crossbuck sign. What should you be able to see if the outside flat mirrors are adjusted properly? When engaged, these light will flash simultaneously. If there is no police officer, and you believe the signal is malfunctioning, call your dispatcher to report the situation and ask for instructions on how to proceed. When the school bus is moving, always stay in your seat. What happens if you pass a school bus with flashing lights? The rules are pretty simple if you encounter a school bus with flashing red lights. How many feet around a school bus is considered the danger zone? Always walk at least 10 feet in front of the bus when crossing so that the school bus driver can see you. The six winners of the competition are also recognized at an event held during National School Bus Safety Week. Approach cautiously at a slow rate of speed. If you have ever been stuck behind a school bus, you might have noticed that some buses are equipped with both yellow and red flashing lights. "When the school bus gets ready to stop, the lights come on and they're yellow. Practice here. Fatal crashes involving students who were struck by passing motorists typically involved one or more of the following factors: Vehicle Operators - There are legal and financial consequences for vehicle operators who pass a school bus while the school bus is stopped for the purpose of dropping off or picking up passengers and red lights on the school bus are flashing. When a school bus comes to a stop and activates its red flashing lights, drivers traveling in both directions are required to come to a complete stop at least 20 feet away from the school bus. The red lights should be a sign that children are in the area and vehicles should be stopped. You should never back a school bus when students are outside of the bus. As a general rule, add 15 feet to the length of the school bus to determine an acceptable amount of containment or storage area. Motorists approaching a stopped school bus from the rear with its overhead red signals lights flashing, shall stop at least 20 metres before reaching the bus and shall not proceed until the bus moves, or the overhead lights have stopped flashing and its stop arm is no longer activated. Required fields are marked *. However, a school bus does not have the slightest edge when involved in an accident with a train. Never cross the street behind the school bus. Why School Bus Rules Of The Road Matter To You. The bus driver will flash lights on the front and rear of the bus. If so for fog rain and snow, as well as to let children and parents know its a school bus. Remaining stopped until the bus starts moving or turns off the flashing red lights. School buses make frequent stops, so be patient and drive at a reasonable speed. Almost every driver has had this experience: You arrive at a four way stop at the same time another car arrives at the stop from a different direction, and a moment of confusion ensues for each driver as they ask themselves, who has the right of way at a four way stop? The correct answer is: Drivers should yield to. However, you must recognize there may not be older, responsible students on the bus at the time of the emergency. Approaching the bus from the rear: When approaching from the rear, the rules are the same as for a two- or three- lane road. Observe the right-of-way rules. Here are some of the major Texas school bus laws you need to be aware of: It is illegal (in all 50 states, actually) to pass a school bus actively loading or unloading passengers. The bus driver waved the car through the red flashing lights, unaware a child was crossing the road at that time. A school bus will turn on flashing yellow lights to warn drivers to slow down and be ready to stop. The danger zones may extend as much as 30 feet from the front bumper (with the first 12 feet being the most dangerous), 12 feet from the left and right sides, and 12 feet behind the rear bumper of the school bus. Lead students upwind (into the wind) of the bus if fire is present. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. When a school bus stops and flashes its red lights, traffic approaching from either direction must stop before reaching the bus: on a two-lane road on multi-lane highways on divided highways Share the Road Yellow flashing lights mean the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. This sign marks the crossing. School Bus Stop Sign & Red Lights - YouTube According to the law, drivers must stop when a school bus stops in front of them, and extents its stop sign with red flashing lights. According to The Bellingham Herald, the general rule is that drivers overtaking or meeting a school bus thats stopped on the side of the road and has activated a visual signal shall stop before reaching it. In addition, a stop arm with flashing red lights extends out on the left side of the bus. Slow down in or near school and residential areas. When a school bus is stopped on a highway or private road for the purpose of loading or unloading pupils, at a location where traffic is not controlled by a traffic officer or official traffic control signal, the school bus driver shall do all of the following: The school bus driver should enforce any state or local regulations or recommendations concerning student actions outside the school bus. The minimum fine for failing to stop for a school bus is $250. 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. If time permits, school bus drivers should contact their dispatcher to explain the situation before making a decision to evacuate the school bus. Escort all students in prekindergarten, kindergarten, or any grades 1 through eighth, who need to cross the highway or private road where the school bus stopped. What does it mean when a school bus is stopped and its red lights are flashing quizlet? The lookout should not give directions on how to back the bus. Some school buses are equipped with roof-mounted, white strobe lights. Effective August 19, 2019, the new school bus camera law authorizes school districts and municipalities to use stop-arm cameras on school buses to hold vehicle owners . Under S. 175 (11,12) of the Highway Traffic Act, if the school bus is stopped and has its overhead red lights flashing, drivers who are "meeting" the bus must stop before reaching it and must not . Students, parents, teachers, administrators, transportation personnel and the motoring public all play important roles in keeping our children safe while on or around the school bus. Drivers must remain stopped until the school bus resumes moving down the road or turns off its red . If you that the offense is serious enough that you cannot safely drive the bus, call a school administrator or the police to come and remove the student. Do not attempt to cross the tracks unless you can see far enough down the track to know for certain that no trains are approaching. When a school bus is flashing its red overhead lights? The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website uses Google Translate to provide automatic translation of its web pages. If you see flashing yellow lights, that means the school bus is about to stop. Check all mirrors. If you have a case you would like to speak to a lawyer about, please contact us to schedule a free consultation and get an experienced team of lawyers working on your behalf. The entire side of the bus up to the mirror mounts. Why should you be extra cautious at this type of crossing? Never run after the school bus if it has already left the bus stop. Loading and unloading requires all your concentration. You must proceed with caution and watch for children by the side of the road. In Florida, drivers cannot pass a bus displaying the stop signal. You should back your bus only when you have no other safe way to move the vehicle. The fine for passing a school bus with its red lights flashing is $402 . You can prevent school bus/train accidents by following these recommended procedures. What must a driver do at a flashing yellow light? If there is a student missing, ask the other students where the student is. Motorists claimed they couldnt see the flashing lights because the lights were dirty or because sun, rain, snow, or fog blinded them. The adoption of this system will improve student transportation and road safety and align Ontario with measures taken in all . Sadly, not everyone does stop when the school bus lights are flashing and kids could be on the road. Students may drop an object near the bus during loading and unloading. Mechanical/operational problems with the bus, with special attention to items that are unique to school busesmirror systems, flashing warning lamps, and stop signal arms. Generally, you can pass a school bus in Michigan if it is in motion or its red lights are not flashing. Your email address will not be published. Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping Law Fact Sheet, School Bus Side Stop Signal Arm Enforcement Approved Systems, School Bus Side Stop Signal Arm Enforcement System Approval Requirements, Operation Safe Stop - Public Participation Information, Operation Safe Stop - Law Enforcement Participation Information, PennDOT School Bus Safety Poster Contest Guidelines. The mirror presents a view of people and objects that does not accurately reflect their size and distance from the bus. Drivers need to be aware of that," Peterborough County OPP constable Joe Ayotte said. Always focus on students as they approach the bus and watch for any who disappear from sight. Meeting as used in the school bus rules means when youre moving in opposite directions. Bus Stalls or Is Trapped on the Tracks. Pennsylvania law prohibits any items including students from barricading the aisles and the emergency exit. Establish a positive relationship with your students. Your visibility could be only slightly limited or be so bad that you can see nothing at all. Be extra careful to look around before moving your vehicle, as children may be walking in front of, behind, or on the side of school buses. Be sure that all students are in the bus before backing. Is there a chance the bus could be hit by other vehicles? Your email address will not be published. School buses will also have flashing headlights. A school bus will have alternating flashing lights and a mechanical stop-sign arm extended while passengers are entering or leaving the bus. on roads that are divided to separate. Drivers must stop at least 20 feet away and cannot resume driving until the bus lights are turned off or the bus begins moving.
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