The beginning of the school year is around the corner, which means your morning commute is about to get a bit more congested with those bright, yellow buses.
The National Safety Council estimates that in the 2018-2019 school year, 25 million students nationwide will begin and end their school day on a bus. School buses are considered the safest way for students to travel and help to keep more than 17 million cars away from school buildings every day. Although drivers are required by law to stop for a school bus when it is loading or unloading its passengers, all too often they do not.
Do you know when to stop for a school bus? According to Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law, it is illegal to pass a school bus when its red lights are flashing and its stop arm is extended. When a driver approaches a stopped school bus from any direction, they are required to stop at least ten feet away. This happens on roadways with painted lines, intersections and roadways with ridged/grooved dividers.
The exception to this rule is when a driver is on the opposite side of a highway with a clearly-defined dividing barrier separating oncoming traffic from the bus.
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Photo Credit: PennDot
If convicted of a school bus stopping violation in Pennsylvania, you will receive a $250 fine, five points on your driving record and a sixty-day suspension of your license. Sodrive safely this upcoming school year and be aware of school buses on your commute.
If in doubt when to stop, stop.
