As the weather gets warmer and the school year winds down, children are even more excited to get home from school and play outside with their friends. A flashing yellow light warns drivers to slow down and proceed with caution. And every time someone doesn't stop for the bus, a child's life is at risk. The hazard lights are amber in colour and are located at the bottom of the bus. For more information on the contest, and to view previous winners, click here. Set out emergency warning devices as necessary and appropriate. According to California law, drivers must stop when a school bus stops in front of them and extends its stop sign with flashing lights. Slow down and be prepared to stop if you see a school bus displaying this signal. When the bus stops, red lights on the top of the bus will begin flashing, signaling drivers that children are entering or exiting the bus and may be crossing the street. Be prepared to act appropriately in emergency and crash situations. The driver must ensure that these mirrors are properly adjusted. See Figure 10.8. Check all mirrors. Students should be told to leave any dropped object and move to a point of safety out of the danger zones and attempt to get the drivers attention to retrieve the object. You must remain stopped until the school bus. When you come to a four way stop who has the right away? Dangle the radio microphone or telephone out of the drivers window and take your cell phone for later use, if operable. Always use caution when approaching a stopped school bus. School buses not only alert drivers to the presence of children, but the rules of the road require drivers to act in a certain way around buses to enhance the safety of the children getting off the bus. To translate this page, please Maryland's law requires: If a school vehicle has stopped on a road and is operating the alternately flashing red lights, the driver of any vehicle following or approaching the school bust. Each state has laws and regulations governing how school buses must operate at railroad-highway crossings. The fine for passing a school bus with its red lights flashing is $402 . Many buses built before these dates have been voluntarily equipped with ABS. According to the California law (CVC 22454), motorists must remain stopped as long as the red lights on the school bus are flashing. on roads that are divided to separate. These mirrors are mounted on both the left and right front corners of the bus. If there is no white line painted on the pavement, you must stop the bus before the crossbuck sign. You are unloading students along your route. The driver may not proceed until the flashing red lights are no longer activated. Repeat offenders can face up to $1,000 in fines and up to 180 days in jail. If there is a student missing, ask the other students where the student is. You must proceed with caution and watch for children by the side of the road. How far from the nearest rail should you stop at a railroad-highway crossing? With school starting Thursday, Sept. 8 in the Kent School District, it's a good time to review the rules for drivers and stopping for school buses. The statute requires: Following these two rules will allow for safer drivers, safer children and safer neighborhoods. See Figure 10.8. There are exceptions to these school bus laws. Learn the school bus laws in your state and always follow them, as well as the flashing lights that school bus drivers use to alert you. Active Crossings. The driver of a vehicle on meeting, from either direction, any school bus flashing red lights must stop the vehicle at no closer than 15 feet before reaching the school bus. The Wisconsin Rules of the Road are designed to protect drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. These children, though they represent less than 35% of the student population, were involved in 69% of the fatalities (79 out of 114). The web pages currently in English on the DMV website are the official and accurate source for the program information and services the DMV provides. Determine the Need to Evacuate the Bus. I'm the NYS DMV Virtual Agent, Click me for assistance. Make certain no students are returning to the bus. But some regulations are a little bit more obscure. When waiting for the bus, stay away from traffic. Whenever drivers are in the presence of school buses, they should be where they can stop at any time. Remember, children are often unpredictable and may not see you coming. . Always follow the "Five Alive" Operation Lifesaver steps when approaching a railroad track. install the Google Toolbar (opens in new window) . Preparing for a standard, commercial, or motorcycle knowledge test? on roads that are divided to separate the directions of travel, in the direction that the bus is traveling. The Danger Zone is the area on all sides of the bus where children are in the most danger of not being seen by the driver (ten feet in front of the bus where the driver may be too high to see a child, ten feet on either side of the bus where a child may be in the drivers blind spot, and the area behind the school. If there is more than 1 track, make sure all tracks are clear before crossing. This typically happens when the school bus is dropping off or picking up students. Therefore, emergency evacuation procedures must be explained to all students. The first and most important consideration is for you to recognize the hazard. When a school bus stops and flashes its red lights, traffic approaching from either direction. The Pupil Transportation Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania School Bus Association hold a Pennsylvania School Bus Driver Safe Driving Competition every June to test school bus drivers' knowledge of safety rules and safe operation of their buses in two types of bus categories: conventional and transit. Passive crossings are those that do not have any type of traffic control device. Remain stopped until the gates go up and the lights have stopped flashing. Additionally, you may not have to stop on a controlled access highway. You need to check your mirrors before and during any turning movements to monitor the tail swing. When your route or school activity trip is finished, you should conduct a post-trip inspection of the bus. Students should wait in a designated location for the school bus, facing the bus as it approaches. A school bus will have alternating flashing lights and a mechanical stop-sign arm extended while passengers are entering or leaving the bus. Advance Warning Signs. Prepare information for emergency responders. When a school bus is stopped with red lights flashing on a four lane two way roadway which lanes must stop? Fairfax County Public Schools runs more than 1,600 buses daily. When approaching from the opposite . By law, a driver must not overtake or pass a bus with flashing lights at more than 40km/h. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Your school bus will have a yellow ABS malfunction lamp on the instrument panel if equipped with ABS. See Figure 10.5. When students are loading at the school campus, you should: Perform a safe stop at designated unloading areas as described in Section 10. Sec. Be reliable and dependable your students count on you every day! The entire side of the bus up to the mirror mounts. Pavement markings mean the same as the advance warning sign. Watch for lane changes! Drivers who do not stop for the red, flashing lights may face fines up to $1,000; they could also have their licenses suspended for up to a year. So whether youre behind the bus or in the next lane, you should stop. There is an imminent danger of an accident. Know the length of your bus and size of the containment area at railroad-highway crossings on the school bus route, as well as any crossing you encounter in the course of a school activity trip. Wait until the school bus has stopped all traffic before stepping out onto the road. California law requires drivers to stop in both directions when a school bus has flashing red lights on. It does not matter how many lanes the road has. The driver shall use an approved, hand-held STOP sign while escorting all students. According to The Bellingham Herald, the general rule is that drivers overtaking or meeting a school bus that's stopped on the side of the road and has activated a visual signal shall stop before reaching it. 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 . If there is no radio or cell phone or they are inoperable, dispatch a passing motorist or area resident to call for help. Quick Answer: How To Take The Bus In Boston? The . There is a blind spot area directly behind the drivers seat, as well as a large blind spot area that begins at the rear bumper and could extend up to 400 feet or more behind the bus. These mirrors present a view of people and objects that does not accurately reflect their size and distance from the bus. The bus is stalled on or adjacent to a railroad-highway crossing. The Michigan school bus traffic laws prohibit drivers from passing a school bus that is stopped and has its red lights flashing. Sometimes, it may be safer to remain on the bus and not come in contact with the material. These mirrors are mounted at the left and right front corners of the bus at the side or front of the windshield. The Governors Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) reports that in New York State, 2.3 million children are transported by more than 50,000 school buses annually. The visual signal, in this case, is a stop sign extended out of the bus, flashing red lights, or both. If you see or hear an emergency vehicle, you should be aware that although the emergency vehicle is required to come to a complete stop when it encounters a school bus loading or unloading students, it is legal for it to proceed with caution even if the bus's eight-way light system is still activated, as long as it doesn't risk the safety of the students. Make a final check to see that all traffic has stopped before completely opening the door and signaling students to approach. If the bus is also equipped with amber or yellow lights, these lights are used to signal that the bus will be slowing down. The winners of the poster contest are recognized at an event in Harrisburg held every October as part of National School Bus Safety Week. Troopers didn't say how far beyond the 45-mph limit the driver may have been going. In the foggy Central Valley of California, flashing white strobe lights are mounted on top of the bus to assist other drivers in seeing the school bus approaching or at a stop. 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