Attention drivers! Do you know when to brake for the big yellow school bus? Even if you’re 99 percent sure you know the rules of the road as they apply to stopping for school buses, it’s best not to take chances. You can prevent a crash and a potential accident which could injure children. So what are the rules regarding stopped school buses on Florida roadways?
Motorists moving in both directions must stop when approaching a school bus with its red lights activated and the stop sign extended. However, on a highway divided by a raised barrier or an unpaved median that is at least five-feet wide, a motorist traveling in the opposite direction of the stopped school bus may proceed with caution.
Bill Wen, senior administrator in Transportation Services said, “OCPS transports over 70,000 students daily and we need everyone’s help to keep our students safe. Please raise your awareness for students around any school bus.”
National School Bus Safety Week falls on Oct. 18-22 this year and Daylight Saving time will end November 7, so more children will be on the roads in the dark. Florida’s departments of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Transportation, and Education have teamed up to develop Stop on Red, Kids Ahead, a statewide education campaign to remind motorists of the laws and safe practices to take when approaching a school bus. FloridaSchoolBusSafety.gov serves as the information portal for the campaign. It provides graphics, downloadable brochures, a template press release, safety tips, a public service announcement, a short instructional video, and much more!
The inconvenience of an extra few seconds spent waiting for a stopped school bus is insignificant compared to the loss of a child’s life, so remember… Stop on Red, Kids Ahead.
