First Day of School Prompts Reminder to be Patient, Stop for School Buses

School buses around Ross Township and West View will be part of the morning commute Tuesday, the first day of school. 

“So that everyone can make it safely to their destination, motorists are reminded to pay attention to students as they board and exit buses, and to obey traffic laws regarding school buses and school zones,"  said Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Barry J. Schoch.

State law requires that motorists approaching a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop-arm extended must stop at least 10 feet from the bus. Motorists approaching from all directions are required to stop.

Drivers who encounter a school bus stopping on the opposite side of a divided highway are not required to stop. Lanes of a divided highway are clearly separated by a divider, such as concrete barriers or grass medians.

Motorists also must use caution in school zones. are hubs of pedestrian and vehicle traffic, so motorists are required to slow down to the posted speed limit of 15 miles per hour in school zones. Violations carry a fine and three points on the driver’s record. 

Motorists convicted of violating Pennsylvania’s school-bus-stopping law face a $250 fine, five points on their driving record and a 60-day license suspension.

For more tips, visit the School Bus Safety link under the Traffic Safety Information Center on PennDOT’s highway safety website at www.DriveSafePA.org. The website features an animated illustration of the school-bus-stopping law.