School bus safety tips for drivers

As school starts, you need to be mindful of the school buses on the road. There are some very specific laws regarding the transportation children take to and from school.

There are some important safety tips for traveling near school zones and around school buses.

Stopping when a school bus stops

Some of the most important rules are the laws about stopping around school buses. The rules for this are simple.

• If the road has two lanes, both directions must stop.
• If the road has multiple lanes with turn lanes between them, both directions must stop.
• If the road has a median in the center, those traveling in the same direction must stop. Those traveling in the opposite direction can proceed cautiously.

When there is only one lane, allow buses to move around you if you are going in the opposite direction. Come to a stop whenever the bus stops.

Driving near school buses

The most important thing when driving near school buses is paying attention. The rules are simple:

• Follow the speed limits posted for school zones
• Never pass a bus that has stop signs and the arm extended.
• Even when the bus begins to move, watch for children on the road
• Always watch for children walking or biking to school if you live near one.
• Pay attention to flashing lights and signs

These are very simple steps to avoid deadly accidents and costly tickets.

The fines for breaking the laws around school buses are steadily increasing, but this increase is nothing compared to the possible loss of a child’s life.