A friendly reminder that all drivers must stop on a street or highway 20 feet or more from any school bus that has stopped and is flashing red warning lights.
- This applies both to vehicles approaching from the rear and from the opposing lanes.
- All lanes of traffic must stop for the school bus, except in opposing lanes if the highway is divided with a center median.
- No vehicle may proceed until the bus resumes motion and has turned off the red warning lights.
- The stop arm on the bus is an added communication to other drivers, but the lack of an extended stop arm is not a reason to pass a bus whose red lights are flashing.
School bus violations are taken very seriously by members of our Police Department. When a violation is reported, it is immediately addressed, typically by an officer with a higher level of training in traffic-related offenses. The investigation will consist of an officer identifying and contacting the alleged violator. If there is credible information that a violation occurred, a traffic citation will be issued. If the violator is unable to be identified, state law allows for a citation to be issued to the registered owner. Keep this in mind when you allow others to operate your vehicles.