School Zone Safety: Driving Safe When School Buses are Present
In light of the recent story in the news about an Ohio woman that was caught on video driving on the sidewalk to avoid a school bus, it is a great time to review safe driving practices in the presence of a school bus both in and outside of school zones.
Here is a link to the video if you have not seen it yet: Ohio Woman drives on sidewalk to avoid school bus
The rules of the road when it comes to school buses are plain and simple. Drivers must always stop for school buses no matter where they are when their red lights are flashing or if the stop sign arm has been extended. There is only one exception to this law and it is on a highway separated by a median. In this instance, traffic on the other side of the median does not have to stop. Only the traffic that is on the same side of the median as the school bus must stop.
What you need to know about stopped school buses
Beyond the one exception noted above, here are the steps that drivers must follow when in the presence of a stopped school bus on a city street or highway:
- All vehicles (in both directions) must come to a complete stop when they approach a school bus that is stopped and has its red lights flashing (or stop sign arm has been extended).
- Remain at a complete stop until the red lights have stopped flashing (or stop sign arm has been closed) and the bus starts to move forward.
What happens if you are caught not following these laws?
The rules of the road are pretty cut and dry when it comes to school buses. The minimum fine for a first offense is $400 with the maximum fine being up to $2000 and six demerit points on your driving record. The fine for addition offenses range between $1000 and $4000, six additional demerit points, and you could receive up to six months in jail.
School zone safety is something that cannot be overlooked by any driver. No matter how much of a hurry you are in you must stop for school buses and at all cross walks. Slowing down and being on high alert ensures that everyone gets to where they need to go safe and sound.