What does it mean when a school bus is stopped and its red lights are flashing quizlet? See Figure 10.6. The convex mirrors are located below the outside flat mirrors. Wisconsin Statute section 346.48 tells operators of vehicles what to do when approaching a school bus when the bus is displaying flashing red lights. State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. On older systems, the lamp could stay on until you are driving over 5 mph. If possible, know the names of students at each stop. School buses will also have flashing headlights. Prepare information for emergency responders. See our Cancellations, Closings and Delays page for more information. 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. Flashing Red A flashing red traffic signal light means STOP. After stopping, you may proceed when it is safe. General Procedures. If your bus is so equipped, the overhead strobe light should be used when you have limited visibility. The . Even if the bus driver waves you ahead, you should still remain vigilant and keep to slower speeds. For more information about Love the Bus, visit Love the Bus. When waiting for the bus, stay away from traffic. The Michigan school bus traffic laws prohibit drivers from passing a school bus that is stopped and has its red lights flashing. Even if there are active railroad signals that indicate the tracks are clear, you must look and listen to be sure it is safe to proceed. Always follow the "Five Alive" Operation Lifesaver steps when approaching a railroad track. 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. Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop. Always be aware of children and parents that may be waiting at a school bus stop or perhaps running to catch the bus before it departs. It's that time of year again. It does not matter how many lanes the road has. If you're on a road with three or more lanes, you need to stop if you're traveling in the same direction as the bus. School buses not only alert drivers to the presence of children, but the rules of the road require drivers to act in a certain way around buses to enhance the safety of the children getting off the bus. How far from the nearest rail should you stop at a railroad-highway crossing? If you cannot account for a student, secure the bus, take the key, and check around and underneath the bus. Check all mirrors. Red flashing lights and extended stop arms mean the bus has stopped and that children are . What Is The Law When School Bus Lights Are Flashing? on roads that are divided to separate the directions of travel, in the direction that the bus is traveling. Learn the laws and rules of the road in preparation for your drive and knowledge tests. The bus is on fire or there is a threat of a fire. However, if it has stopped and its red lights are flashing, then you must stop and wait until it resumes motion and turns off its lights. On this day, we hope all school districts will participate by having their drivers document any illegal passes occurring on their routes during the day. 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 crossing with a signal or stop sign on the opposite side, pay attention to the amount of room there. At many railroad-highway crossings, the crossbuck sign has flashing red lights and bells. Additionally, you may not have to stop on a controlled access highway. Will you be more careful now that you know the 20ft rule? Continue once the bus has moved, the flashing lights stop flashing, or the bus driver signals it's okay to pass. Speak in a courteous manner with a firm voice. Have the students board the school bus slowly, in single file, and use the handrail. Look up the status of an active OL permit holder. However, drivers must yield the right-of-way if other traffic is approaching from the opposite direction. Instead, they flash warning lights near the buss roof to prompt you to reduce your speed and prepare to stop. You must stop at these crossings and follow proper procedures. Assign another student assistant to lead the students to a safe place after evacuation. You must proceed with caution and watch for children by the side of the road. Know the length of your bus and size of the containment area at railroad-highway crossings on the school bus route, as well as any crossing you encounter in the course of a school activity trip. You must proceed with caution and watch for children by the side of the road. Children can get so excited at seeing you after school they might forget safety rules and dash across the street. Whenever drivers are in the presence of school buses, they should be where they can stop at any time. They cannot proceed until the school bus resumes motion or the school bus driver motions for the automobile driver to proceed. Pennsylvania law prohibits any items including students from barricading the aisles and the emergency exit. When a school bus is flashing its red overhead lights? By law, a driver must not overtake or pass a bus with flashing lights at more than 40km/h. Flashing lights and speed limit signs are self-explanatory. They are used to see the front bumper danger zone area directly in front of the bus that is not visible by direct vision, and the danger zone area to the left and right side of the bus, including the service door and front wheel area. Move as far as possible to the right on the traveled portion of the roadway. If you must back up at a student pick up point, be sure to pick up students before backing and watch for late comers at all times. If necessary, pull the bus over to handle the problem. You must remain stopped until the school bus moves ahead or until the stop-sign arm and flashing lights are no longer shown. Define the danger zone. Turn on the right turn signal indicator about 100-300 feet or approximately 3-5 seconds before pulling over. 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. A train is approaching. Drivers must stop in both directions, unless separated from the bus by a median. If there is no radio or cell phone or they are inoperable, dispatch a passing motorist or area resident to call for help. Unlawfully driving around one will result in fines, court costs and possibly even jail. Yellow flashing lights on the front and back indicate a bus is about to stop to load or unload students, so motorists should slow down and be prepared to stop. School buses make frequent stops, so be patient and drive at a reasonable speed. If your child rides the school bus . If you miss a students unloading stop, do not back up. Line up at least five giant steps away from the curb or the roadway to wait for the bus. First conviction - fine of $250-$400 and/or up to 30 days in jail, Second conviction within 3 years - fine of $600-$750 and/or up to 180 days in jail, Vehicle Owners - A law was passed in 2019, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website, Governors Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) website, Automated Records Access for Businesses and Government, DMV Electronic Voter Registration Application. When you drive a vehicle with ABS, you should brake as you always have. Lights flash on buses to warn motorists that buses are picking up and dropping off children. However, the decision to proceed rests entirely in your hands. the best way to get on and off; and the six rules of safe riding - school bus flashing lights stock videos & royalty-free footage. That said, school buses have the right of way over other motorists. Stop for flashing red lights or a stop sign on a school bus regardless of which direction you're headed. The school bus stop signal arm will be extended after the school bus has come to a complete stop. In general, school buses must stop at all crossings, and drivers must ensure it is safe before proceeding across the tracks. With this in mind, Chesar shared some reminders for the public. 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. If a police officer is at the crossing, obey directions. Students may drop an object near the bus during loading and unloading. At Murphy & Prachthauser we practice personal injury law the way it should be practiced motivated and equipped to do our best for you. on roads that are divided to separate. You should closely observe all students exiting the bus to confirm that they are in a safe location prior to moving the bus. Renew, reinstate, or apply for a motor carrier permit. A school bus is one of the safest vehicles on the highway. Information is available for passenger vehicles, school buses/vehicles, as well as, wheelchairs and child passenger safety restraints. A school bus driver activates these lights AT LEAST 100 feet before stopping. When you see these lights flashing on the back of a bus? Remember, children are often unpredictable and may not see you coming. A school bus's yellow lights are a warning that the bus is about to stop so you need to slow down and be prepared to stop. However, in emergency braking, do not pump the brakes on a bus with ABS. Advance Warning Signs. See Figure 10.5. If there is a behavior problem on the bus, wait until the students unloading are safely off the bus and have moved away. Lead students upwind (into the wind) of the bus if fire is present. One way states seek to reduce these types of tragic accidents is by establishing strict rules for when motorists must stop for school buses. According to The Bellingham Herald, the general rule is that drivers overtaking or meeting a school bus thats stopped on the side of the road and has activated a visual signal shall stop before reaching it. At least 1 traffic lane on either side of the 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. You should be thoroughly familiar with California and your local school district laws and regulations. As a general rule, add 15 feet to the length of the school bus to determine an acceptable amount of containment or storage area. Move everyone far from the bus at an angle, which is both away from the tracks and toward the train. Chapter 33 - Rules of the Road in General 3345 - Meeting or overtaking school bus. The motorist, demonstrating disregard for the law and/or childrens safety, did not stop for the flashing red lights. A decision to evacuate should include consideration of the following conditions: Mandatory Evacuations. These lights could be malfunctioning. Figure 10.1 illustrates these danger zones. As of July 1, 2018, it is required that a passenger in a bus equipped with seat belts to be properly restrained by a safety belt. Fatal crashes involving students who were struck by passing motorists typically involved one or more of the following factors: Vehicle Operators - There are legal and financial consequences for vehicle operators who pass a school bus while the school bus is stopped for the purpose of dropping off or picking up passengers and red lights on the school bus are flashing. Do not show anger, but do show that you mean business. Be aware cross with care! When the lights begin to flash, you must stop! Have the students exit in orderly fashion. If you're behind it, it's illegal to pass on the right side. If a school bus stops on a two lane road and the red flashing lights are activated and the stop arm is extended, all motorists MUST stop. When approaching from the opposite . You should slow down to lessen the effect of the wind, or pull off the roadway and wait. The bus driver waved the car through the red flashing lights, unaware a child was crossing the road at that time. Police Officer at the Crossing. When travelling in school zones, drivers must pay attention to the posted signs. Turn on the right turn signal indicator about 100300 feet or approximately 35 seconds before pulling over. Drivers must stop at least 20 feet away and cannot resume driving until the bus lights are turned off or the bus begins moving. It means that drivers have to be even more careful to look out for children crossing the street and for school buses. The statute requires: Following these two rules will allow for safer drivers, safer children and safer neighborhoods. There is also a no passing zone sign on 2-lane roads. 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 . Backing a school bus is strongly discouraged. On all roads. Your actions could mean the difference between life and death. School buses have bigger blind spots, take longer to stop, and need more room to maneuver than a standard vehicle. The NY State Education Department, Department of Pupil Transportation, states that the youngest students are most at risk. The front of the rear tires touching the ground. 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. Learn the school bus laws in your state and always follow them, as well as the flashing lights that school bus drivers use to alert you. Generally, if a stopped school bus is displaying a flashing, alternating red lamp, a driver of a vehicle meeting or overtaking the stopped bus from either direction (front or back) must stop and wait until the bus moves again or the red light is off. The top of the rear window in the top of the mirror. The following procedures are meant to be general guidelines. 60 (Peace River North) near Fort St. John. Continuously check mirrors to monitor the danger zones for students, traffic, and other objects. It requires you to yield the right-of-way to the train. Activate the alternating red lights when traffic is a safe distance from the school bus and ensure the stop arm is extended. As you slow down, monitor your bus and back off the brakes (if it is safe to do so) to stay in control. Bring the school bus to a full stop with the front bumper at least 10 feet away from students at the designated stop. What does this mean for drivers and preventing auto accidents? Active Crossings. If possible, the drivers should get identifying information regarding the vehicle and file the information with local authorities. In the foggy Central Valley of California, flashing white strobe lights are mounted on top of the bus to assist other drivers in seeing the school bus approaching or at a stop. Stop your vehicle and wait until the school bus resumes motion or until signaled by the driver or police officer to proceed. Gates. This would involve the proper use of mirrors, alternating flashing lights, and, when equipped, the moveable stop signal arm, and crossing control arm. Be alert. If you must back up at a student drop off point, be sure to unload students after backing. When getting off of the school bus, make sure that all drawstrings and other loose objects are secure so that they don't get caught on the handrail or the door. Set out emergency warning devices as necessary and appropriate. Even though there are safety guidelines for boarding the bus, driving near school buses comes with different rules than regular traffic. There may be a white stop line painted on the pavement before the railroad tracks. You need to check your mirrors before and during any turning movements to monitor the tail swing. Drivers must remain stopped until the school bus resumes moving down the road or turns off its red . Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety. There is a blind spot immediately below and in front of each mirror and directly in back of the rear bumper. Motorists claimed they couldnt see the flashing lights because the lights were dirty or because sun, rain, snow, or fog blinded them. Solid YellowA yellow traffic signal light means CAUTION. The red traffic signal light is about to appear. Stand up and speak respectfully to the offender or offenders. Why should you be extra cautious at this type of crossing? Many railroad-highway crossings have gates with flashing red lights and bells. If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Drivers may turn left on a green light. des moines, ia, u.s. - traffic crash involving school bus and . Never push when getting on or off of the school bus. Make certain no students are returning to the bus. 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. When a school bus has the stop sign out and the red lights flashing, drivers are required to stop: on two lane, undivided roads, in both directions. Do not take your eyes off what is happening outside the bus. Each year, during National School Bus Safety Week, PennDOT works with Pennsylvania State and municipal police departments to conduct Operation Safe Stop. What position should students be in, in front of the bus, before they cross the roadway? ABS is an add-on to your normal brakes, not a replacement for them. Talk quietly; do not distract your school bus driver. As the weather gets warmer and the school year winds down, children are even more excited to get home from school and play outside with their friends. When interacting with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Virtual Assistant, please do not include any personal information. If a school bus is still moving but coming to a stop, and its lights are flashing - yellow or red - it is illegal to pass. School bus safety tips for drivers: Prepare to stop when a slowing bus has its overhead yellow lights flashing. You must remain stopped until the school bus. If your school bus crosses railroad tracks, be calm and quiet so that your driver can listen for a train. In New York, you stop whenever a school bus is flashing red lights. 200 feet or 4 bus lengths behind the bus. Approach cautiously at a slow rate of speed. If a change of seating is needed, request that the student move to a seat near you. This will keep the students from being hit by debris if another vehicle collides with the bus. Do not allow children to exit the bus before all traffic has come to a complete stop and the safety equipment has been engaged. However, a school bus does not have the slightest edge when involved in an accident with a train. As such, we wanted to help you understand the Wisconsin statutes pertaining to school buses and explain how the laws may affect you. The Traffic Injury Prevention Project sponsored by PennDOT provides school districts, school bus contractors, hospitals, pediatricians, parents and other health care providers with the most current information about the atypical transportation needs of children with special health care needs, teen parents, special education students and the preschool population. Containment or Storage Areas. Slow down. They should be far enough away so the bus cannot topple on them. Count the number of students at the bus stop and be sure all board the bus. Pavement markings mean the same as the advance warning sign. Below are examples of school bus laws according to Drive-Safety in different heavily populated states where some minor differences might crop up. When a school bus stops on a multi-lane roadway without a barrier and the red flashing lights are activated and the stop arm is extended, all motorists MUST . According to California law, drivers must stop when a school bus stops in front of them and extends its stop sign with flashing lights. Always do a pre-trip inspection prior to every run to check for mechanical defects that could jeopardize safety. If you see flashing yellow lights, that means the school bus is about to stop. Those in opposing traffic lanes on the other side of the barrier dont have to stop, with a few exceptions. Check all mirrors. Once it pulls away from a stop and its lights stop flashing, it's perfectly fine to pass. You can proceed if the bus driver or a traffic officer gives you the OK or when the red lights stop flashing. The position of the bus may change and increase the danger. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(474680, 'f8317e36-6687-4e38-8a37-3c488cada114', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); 330 Kilbourn Building 330 East Kilbourn Avenue Suite 1200 Milwaukee, WI 53202 Phone: (414) 271-1011 (888) 271-1022 (Kilbourn & Broadway), N14 W23833 Stone Ridge Dr.Suite 310Waukesha, WI 53188Phone: (262) 792-0888, Associated Bank Building 4811 South 76th Street Suite 403 Milwaukee, WI 53220 Phone: (414) 281-5700 (One block south of Layton Avenue), 10200 N. Port Washington Road, Suite 201 Mequon, WI 53092 Phone: (262) 240-1138 (Port Washington Road, quarter mile South of Donges Bay Rd, on East side of street street), 111 N. Main StreetSuite 101West Bend, WI 53095Phone: (262) 346-3340. Keep these rules on school buses in mind as the school year comes to an end and look out for the safety of the children in your neighborhood. Vehicle Owners - A law was passed in 2019 1 that authorizes school districts and municipalities to use stop-arm cameras on school buses to impose penalties on the owners of vehicles which pass a school bus while the school bus is stopped for the purpose of dropping off or picking up passengers and red lights on the school bus are flashing. Diagram 5-4 Air brake vehicle, (trucks, buses, trailers, and converter dollies) built on or after March 1, 1998. Police officers, school crossing guards, and even school bus drivers themselves may have the . According to the California law (CVC 22454), motorists must remain stopped as long as the red lights on the school bus are flashing. This is to warn you that children might be crossing. Drivers who illegally pass a school bus face fines up to $1,250 for the first offense. A school bus will have alternating flashing lights and a mechanical stop-sign arm extended while passengers are entering or leaving the bus. Yellow or amber lights before the bus stops, and red lights go on when it has stopped. California law requires drivers to stop in both directions when a school bus has flashing red lights on. These mirrors, along with the convex and flat mirrors, should be viewed in a logical sequence to ensure that a child or object is not in any of the danger zones.
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