What Should You Do When Approaching a Stopped School Bus?
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, “Children are at greatest risk when they are getting on or off the school bus. Most of the children killed in bus-related crashes are pedestrians, five to seven years old, who are getting on or off the bus. They are hit by the school bus or by motorists illegally passing a stopped school bus.” Are you aware of what to do when approaching a stopped school bus? You should be—a child’s life could depend on it.
Is it Illegal to Pass a Stopped School Bus in Illinois?
Yes, it is illegal and a traffic violation to pass a stopped school bus on a two-lane roadway when a school bus is flashing its red lights and/or a stop arm is extended. When a stopped school bus is flashing its red lights are, this means that it is taking on or dropping off passengers. Drivers in either lane are required by law to remain at a stop until the stop sign has been retracted and the flashing red lights are switched off. It’s important to note that yellow flashing lights indicate that the school bus is preparing to stop, and drivers should prepare to stop their vehicles as well.
The only time a vehicle is not required to stop for a school bus is when both vehicles are on a four-lane roadway and the bus is stopped in the opposite direction from which a driver is traveling.
What Does it Mean When a School Bus is Stopped with Red Signal Lights Flashing?
You must stop before meeting or overtaking a stopped school bus loading or unloading passengers on a two-lane roadway. A warning will be given at least 100 feet (200 feet in rural areas) in advance of a stop.
- The bus driver will flash amber and red lights on the front and rear of the bus.
- The stop signal arm will be extended after the school bus has come to a complete stop.
- You must then come to a complete stop.
- You must remain stopped until the stop signal arm is no longer extended and the flashing lights are turned off or the driver signals you to pass.
On a four-lane roadway where a bus is stopped in the opposite direction from which you are traveling, you are not required to stop your vehicle but you should drive with caution.
Fines & Penalties: Illegally Passing a Stopped School Bus in Illinois
Incurring fines and penalties are never ideal. You could face suspension of your driver’s license or vehicle registration for 3 months and be required to pay a minimum $150 fine if you are convicted of illegally passing a stopped school bus.
School Bus Safety Resources by State
Stay Alert for Children in the Area
Even when the red lights and the stop sign have been deactivated, there could still be children in the vicinity. Children do not always act predictably and have been known to unexpectedly dart across the road. For this reason, drivers should exercise extreme caution and care when driving in school zones or around a stopped school bus.
If you’re interested in sharpening your knowledge and becoming a more proactive driver, contact Top Driver today or sign up for an online driving course.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to pass a stopped school bus in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois law makes it illegal to pass a stopped school bus on a two-lane roadway when the bus is flashing its red lights or has its stop arm extended. Flashing red lights and the extended stop arm mean the bus is loading or unloading passengers. Drivers in both directions must remain stopped until the stop arm is retracted and the red lights stop flashing. The only exception is when both vehicles are on a four-lane roadway and the bus is stopped in the opposite direction from your travel, in which case you may continue with caution.
What is the penalty for passing a stopped school bus in Illinois?
If convicted of illegally passing a stopped school bus in Illinois, you face a minimum $150 fine and a three-month suspension of your driver's license or vehicle registration. Repeat offenses carry steeper penalties and longer suspensions. Cameras mounted on the stop arm of many Illinois school buses now record violations and forward them to law enforcement, so drivers often receive tickets in the mail days later. Beyond the legal penalty, hitting a child while illegally passing a school bus can result in criminal charges, civil liability, and a tragedy that no driver wants to live with.
What do yellow flashing lights on a school bus mean?
Yellow flashing lights on a school bus are a warning signal: the bus is preparing to stop to pick up or drop off children. You should immediately slow down and prepare to stop. Illinois school bus drivers activate the yellow lights at least 100 feet before the stop in urban areas and 200 feet before the stop in rural areas. Once the bus comes to a complete stop, the lights switch from yellow to flashing red and the stop arm extends. At that point, all traffic on a two-lane road must be fully stopped until the stop arm retracts.
Do you have to stop for a school bus on a four-lane road?
On a four-lane roadway, you are only required to stop if you are traveling in the same direction as the bus or behind it. If the bus is on the opposite side of a four-lane road traveling in the opposite direction from you, you do not have to stop, but you should slow down and drive with caution. Children can dart unpredictably, and the bus may be hiding a child crossing from your view. The four-lane exception only applies to true four-lane roads with two lanes in each direction, not two-lane roads with a center turn lane.
How far away do school bus stop lights need to be visible?
Illinois law requires school bus drivers to activate the yellow warning lights at least 100 feet before the stop in urban or residential areas and at least 200 feet before the stop in rural areas where speeds are higher. This advance warning gives drivers time to recognize what is about to happen and come to a controlled stop. Once the bus stops, the lights change to flashing red and the stop arm extends. Stay alert for school buses on neighborhood streets during morning drop-off and afternoon pickup times, and keep extra following distance behind any bus to give yourself time to react.
Why should you stay alert near a school bus even after the red lights turn off?
Children, especially those aged five to seven, are at the highest risk in bus-related crashes, and most of them are pedestrians hit either by the bus or by drivers illegally passing the bus. Even after the bus pulls away, children may still be in the area, walking home or crossing the street. Kids do not always act predictably and may dart between parked cars or run after a friend without checking for traffic. Drive slowly and watch carefully in school zones and residential streets during bus hours. Eye contact with children and a slow, predictable approach prevent most close calls.
