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The general School Bus Rule:Divided Roads and Highways

This general rule is that if the road or highway is divided (that is, if it has a median or barrier between the lanes), only traffic going in the same direction as the bus is required to stop, but each and every lane going in the same direction as the bus must still stop.

Those lanes MUST stop until at least one or more of the following things have occurred:

1. The school bus resumes motion; or

2. You are signaled by the school bus driver to proceed; or

3. The visual signal used by the bus (usually blinking lights) is turned off.

This rule applies to all roads with driving medians or barriers, and it applies no matter how many lanes the road has.

Now let's look at specific examples.

Two lanes.
2-way traffic.
Median or barrier.

The situation:

The school bus is stopped in a 2-lane street or highway, with a median or barrier.

The school bus rule:

If you approach a stopped school bus on the same side of the road as the side on which you are traveling, you MUST stop until one or more of the following occurs:

1. The school bus resumes motion; or

2. You are signaled by the school bus driver to proceed; or

3. The visual signal used by the bus (usually blinking lights) is turned off.

If the school bus is stopped on the side of the road across the median or barrier in the other traffic direction, you are not required to stop. This is how the median or barrier situation is different from the other examples, such as a road with a center turning lane (where the center turing lane is not considered to be a median or barrier).

It is still very dangerous for children who may be crossing the road to get home, so please be very careful and keep an eye out for them!

The situation:

The school bus is stopped in a 4-lane street or highway, with a median or barrier.

The school bus rule:

This is exactly the same as the rule above. If you approach a stopped school bus on the same side of the road as the side on which you are traveling, you MUST stop until one or more of the following occurs:

1. The school bus resumes motion; or

2. You are signaled by the school bus driver to proceed; or

3. The visual signal used by the bus (usually blinking lights) is turned off.

If the school bus is stopped on the side of the road across the median or barrier in the other traffic direction, you are not required to stop.

Please be very careful and keep an eye out for children who may be crossing the road to get home. It is still very dangerous for them.