If you must back up at a student drop off point, be sure to unload students after backing. A refresher on school bus safety | Montreal Families Perform a safe stop as described in Section 10. Make a final check to see that all traffic has stopped before completely opening the door and signaling students to approach. Containment or Storage Areas. 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. Updated Lighting Requirements for Ontario School Buses | Halton Student If you cannot account for a student, secure the bus, take the key, and check around and underneath the bus. Crossbuck Signs. You should slow down and prepare to stop your vehicle. Constantly check all mirrors and rear windows. A train is approaching. Lastly, New York is one of the few states where you must stop, even on the opposite side of a divided highway. Check all mirrors. Drivers must stop at least 20 feet away and cannot resume driving until the bus lights are turned off or the bus begins moving. Motorists attempted to pass the bus, claiming they did not have time to wait. ABS helps you avoid wheel lock up and maintain control. Sometimes, it may be safer to remain on the bus and not come in contact with the material. It is safe to proceed once the lights stop flashing. School buses make frequent stops, so be patient and drive at a reasonable speed. According to California law, drivers must stop when a school bus stops in front of them and extends its stop sign with flashing lights. Watch. If so for fog rain and snow, as well as to let children and parents know its a school bus. You should closely observe all students exiting the bus to confirm that they are in a safe location prior to moving the bus. These rules help you play your part in keeping the children safe and may vary from state to state, although there are some commonalities among them. Always do a pre-trip inspection prior to every run to check for mechanical defects that could jeopardize safety. A flashing red light at an intersection means: Stop and yield the right of way. They cannot proceed until the school bus resumes motion or the school bus driver motions for the automobile driver to proceed. The advance warning sign tells you to slow down, look and listen for the train, and be prepared to stop at the tracks if a train is coming. Children can be unpredictable and may try to cross the road when its not safe to do so. When travelling in school zones, drivers must pay attention to the posted signs. School Bus Laws By State: When To Stop And When Not To! - Drive-Safely.net from a stopped school bus with flashing red lights whether or not you are traveling in the same direction as the bus. Police officers, school crossing guards, and even school bus drivers themselves may have the . Texas bus laws: When you can and can't pass a school bus This law is in place whether you are following the bus or approaching from the opposite direction and allows students to leave the bus safely. An emergency situation can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. The driver shall use an approved, hand-held STOP sign while escorting all students. These lights could be malfunctioning. If there is a student missing, ask the other students where the student is. Would removing students expose them to speeding traffic, severe weather, or a dangerous environment such as downed power lines? If you re behind it, its illegal to pass on the right side. Always use caution when approaching a stopped school bus. In addition, a stop arm with flashing red lights extends out on the left side of the bus. This is to warn you that children might be crossing. Bus Stalls or Is Trapped on the Tracks. It requires you to yield the right-of-way to the train. After that, you only proceed if the lights stop flashing, the bus resumes motion, or the driver signals you onward. If you cannot answer them all, reread Section 10. Look up the status of an active OL permit holder. (See Figure B) Motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop arm extended. If there is an emergency, listen to the driver and follow instructions. on a highway or trafficway shall stop at least ten feet before reaching the school bus when the red signal lights on the school bus are flashing and the side stop signal arms are activated under section 4552(b.1) (relating to general requirements for school . Be sure to provide adequate instruction so that every student is familiar with school bus emergency procedures and equipment use, as well as the safe loading and unloading procedures. Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped. Stopping to pick up the object or returning to pick up the object may cause the student to disappear from the drivers sight at a very dangerous moment. The visual signal, in this case, is a stop sign extended out of the bus, flashing red lights, or both. PDF School Bus Safety Brochure - Government of New Jersey According to California Vehicle Code 22454, all vehicles traveling in either direction must stop when a school bus is flashing its red lights and remain stopped as long as the red lights remain lit and/or flashing . If any questions arise related to the information contained in the translated website, please refer to the English version. School Bus Safety | DPS - Highway Safety When you come to a four way stop who has the right away? When you see flashing red or amber warning lights, you are not permitted to pass the school bus and should be prepared to stop. It is illegal to pass a school bus from behind when yellow lights are flashing. Operation Safe Stop is a proactive approach to educate the motoring public that passing a stopped school bus, when children are loading or unloading, is dangerous and illegal. For more information about Love the Bus, visit Love the Bus. California's Laws Regarding School Zones & Buses The penalty for passing a school bus on the side that children enter and exit when the school bus displays a stop signal goes from a minimum of $200 to $400 . The mirror presents 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. Advance Warning Signs. (1) The operator of a vehicle overtaking or meeting a school bus that has stopped and is displaying 2 alternately . These mirrors present a view of people and objects that does not accurately reflect their size and distance from the bus. Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop. School Bus Stop Sign & Red Lights - YouTube According to the law, drivers must stop when a school bus stops in front of them, and extents its stop sign with red flashing lights. School Bus Flashing Lights Videos and HD Footage - Getty Images When engaged, these light will flash simultaneously. But some regulations are a little bit more obscure. Be extra careful to look around before moving your vehicle, as children may be walking in front of, behind, or on the side of school buses. This mirror is used to monitor passenger activity inside the bus. Below are examples of school bus laws according to Drive-Safety in different heavily populated states where some minor differences might crop up. These mirrors are mounted on both the left and right front corners of the bus. Also, if there are still children on the side of the road, you have to drive slowly until youre past them. You need to check your mirrors before and during any turning movements to monitor the tail swing. What Are the Rules in Florida Regarding Stopping for a School Bus Strong winds affect the handling of the school bus! You can prevent school bus/train accidents by following these recommended procedures. If possible, know the names of students at each stop. Have the students exit in orderly fashion. Make sure no students are around or returning to the bus. It is important for you to understand and obey these state laws and regulations. These younger students are unable to see over or around objects such as parked cars or bushes. 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.Laws protect students who are getting on and off a school bus by making it illegal for drivers to pass a school bus while the school bus is stopped for the purpose of dropping off or picking up passengers and the red lights on the school bus are flashing, regardless of the direction of approach. The area from the front of the bus to the service door. School bus stopped at T-intersection is a tricky situation - WHEELS.ca Pennsylvania law prohibits children from standing on the bus while the bus is in motion. What should you be able to see if the outside flat mirrors are adjusted properly? To attract attention, most school buses display flashing amber or red lights, or a lowered "STOP" arm when stopped. School Bus Safety - PennDOT Information Bulletin - School Bus Safety Rules - Alberta *Five points will be added to theoperator's driving record for each conviction. The specific procedures required in each state vary. California law requires drivers to stop in both directions when a school bus has flashing red lights on. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Our online ordering system makes it easy. Backpacks, band instruments, or sports equipment may not block the aisle or emergency exits. Can you pass a bus with flashing yellow lights? These children, though they represent less than 35% of the student population, were involved in 69% of the fatalities (79 out of 114). School Bus Safety - Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles California law requires drivers to stop in both directions when a school bus has flashing red lights on. School buses are equipped with yellow, amber or red flashing lights. Activate the alternating red lights when traffic is a safe distance from the school bus and ensure the stop arm is extended. MD Laws On Passing A Stopped School Bus: What To Know Michigan Legislature - Section 257.682 School Bus Laws in Texas: Do You Know When To Stop or Pass? Be alert. Flashing lights and speed limit signs are self-explanatory. Stop behind the school bus when the school bus stops and its stop arm is extended. 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. Observe the right-of-way rules. If the lamp stays on after the bulb check, or goes on once you are under way, you may have lost ABS control at 1 or more wheels. Hydraulic-braked trucks and buses with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or more, built on or after March 1, 1999. Necessarily shorten stopping distance. Prevent power or turning skids. These mirrors are mounted at the left and right front corners of the bus at the side or front of the windshield. If you re going the opposite direction, though, passing a school bus with flashing yellow lights is okay. The bus driver may also indicate for you to go ahead, although even then, you must exercise due caution just in case there are still kids trying to cross the road. This sign marks the crossing. By law, a driver must not overtake or pass a bus with flashing lights at more than 40km/h. The violation is considered reckless driving and could be subject to a $2,500 fine. The dome light should be on while loading in the dark. New York DMV | School Bus Safety The front of the rear tires touching the ground. Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. How far from the nearest rail should you stop at a railroad-highway crossing? This requirement applies to all vehicles moving in either direction. State and local laws and regulations regarding unloading students at schools, particularly in situations where activities take place in the school parking lot or other location off the traveled roadway, are often different than unloading along the school bus route. Students should board the bus only when signaled by the driver. Account for all students and check for their safety. 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. hool bus if it has already left the bus stop. Driving Rules Near School Buses. 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 right and left front tires touching the ground. Here's when to stop for a school bus in Washington state Children can get so excited at seeing you after school they might forget safety rules and dash across the street. Flashing Red Light Signals. Motorists approaching a stopped school bus from the rear with its overhead red signals lights flashing, shall stop at least 20 metres before reaching the bus and shall not proceed until the bus moves, or the overhead lights have stopped flashing and its stop arm is no longer activated. Lead students as far away from railroad tracks as possible and in the direction of any oncoming train. Line up at least five giant steps away from the curb or the roadway to wait for the bus. School Buses - Should I stop or should I go? | bylaw See Figure 10.8. Be especially careful at passive crossings. Direct and mirror view vision should overlap. This section will give you specific procedures to help you avoid unsafe conditions that could result in injuries and fatalities during and after loading and unloading students. When approaching a school bus traveling in the opposite direction, a driver must slow the vehicle to 20 miles per hour or less when yellow lights are seen, and be prepared to stop when the stop arm is extended and red lights flash. Direct a student assistant to lead students to the nearest safe place. on roads that are divided to separate the directions of travel, in the direction that the bus is traveling.
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