The most crucial point in school bus safety is when students are exiting and entering the bus. Students may not be aware of other vehicles on the road. Motorists MUST stop if the bus stops, and resume moving when the bus deems it appropriate. Help SHIELD our students from potential danger with the tips below.
Flashing Yellow Lights:
- The yellow flashing light indicates the bus is about to stop. Motorists should slow down and prepare to make a complete stop.
Flashing Red Lights and extended stop arms:
- The red flashing lights indicate the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.
If the bus is stopped on a street with four or more lanes, only traffic proceeding in the same direction as the bus must stop.
The Consequences of Not Stopping for a School Bus:
Passing a stopped school bus could come with steep fines and penalties. This includes:
- Mandatory court appearance
- Ex: State of Ohio school bus violations requires offenders to appear before a court to answer to the charge, waiver of the citation is not permitted.
- Points added to your record
- Ex.: Ohio issues points for this violation and may also lead to a license suspension of up to 1 year for failure to stop.
- A hefty fine
- Ex. $1,000 fine in the City of Hudson and possible 30 days in jail.
All Hudson City School District buses are equipped with cameras that capture school bus violations. Please be aware of your surroundings during your travels and help keep children safe. For more school bus safety information follow our link at www.hudson.oh.us/950/School-Bus-Safety.