School is back in session. Every morning and afternoon, fleets of yellow school buses can be seen transporting thousands of children to and from schools throughout Virginia.
To protect the safety of is children, Virginia law requires drivers to stop their vehicles when approaching a school bus that has stopped to take on or discharge children until all of the children are clear of the roadway and the bus is back in motion.[1] Failure to stop for a school bus can result in a reckless driving conviction. Even worse, it puts the lives of innocent children in danger.
All drivers are required to stop for school buses, as depicted in the image below.[2]
All drivers must stop for school buses.
There are some exceptions. Drivers are not required to stop if the school bus is stopped on the other side of a divided highway, access road or driveway, if the driver is separated from the school bus by a physical barrier, such as the median in the image below.
The purple, blue and green vehicles are not required to stop because they are on the other
side of a divided highway and are separated from the school bus by a physical barrier.
Drivers also are not required to stop if a law-enforcement officer or other duly authorized uniformed school crossing guard directs the driver to pass the school bus while the bus is loading or discharging passengers from or onto property immediately adjacent to a school.
If you or someone that you know has been injured in a motor vehicle accident that was caused by someone else, call Allen & Allen for a free consultation at 866-388-1307.
About The Author: Ashley Davis is an attorney at Allen & Allen. Her role enables her to serve as a valuable resource to a team of 30 trial attorneys. She has more than 10 years of legal experience and currently serves as the Blog Editor for the firm.
[2] Source: Virginia Driver’s Manual, Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
