4. Stop for School Buses, Always
There’s no gray area with school buses. When the red lights flash and the stop sign arm extends, traffic must stop on both sides, unless there’s a raised barrier or median. This rule is in place to protect children who may be walking across the road to board or leave the bus.
Children are unpredictable, and they don’t always look both ways. That’s why the law takes their safety so seriously. Passing a stopped school bus is illegal, dangerous, and carries some of the heaviest traffic fines. In many places, cameras on buses now record license plates of violators, meaning you could receive a fine even if no police officer witnesses the infraction.
Stopping for a school bus doesn’t take long. You’re typically only delayed for a few moments, but those moments could be the difference between life and death. Every child deserves to get to and from school safely, and it’s every driver’s job to make sure that happens. Don’t gamble with young lives. Stop and wait.