When to Stop for School Busses on Indiana Roadways

Many students in Indiana are returning to school this week.  That means you will see school buses full of kids on the roadways again. So it's a good time to get a little refresher when it comes to the rules of the road with school buses.

JerryX

It never fails any time throughout the school year, when you are driving, and you see someone drive right past a school bus with the stop sign out. You'd think it is common sense by now to know to stop for a school bus in situations like that, but that doesn't seem to be the case. So, consider this your friendly reminder regarding sharing the road with school buses.

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When to Stop For School Buses in Indiana:

First off, it is ILLEGAL to run a school bus stop sign. Sometimes kids coming off the bus will cross in front of it and cross the street; that stop sign is there so all traffic stops to keep the kids safe. If you run the stop sign, you risk putting a child in danger and getting a ticket. However, there ARE times when you can proceed past a school bus with its stop sign out in Indiana. Here's when to stop and when not to stop for school buses in Indiana, according to a recent Facebook post from the Indiana State Police Evansville District:

• When a school bus stops and has its red lights flashing with the stop arm extended, you must stop.
• On roads without a physical median or barrier, traffic in both directions must stop.
• On divided highways with a physical barrier or median, only traffic traveling in the same direction as the bus must stop.

Don't Forget School Zone Speed Limits!

Another thing to remember when driving is to slow down in school zones. The speed limit in a school zone is often reduced significantly during school hours or when children are present. Typically, those speed limits are 20 to 25 miles per hour, and the school zones are marked with signs along the road. Law Enforcement Officers will be increasing patrols in school zones throughout Indiana, watching and waiting for those who fail to slow down.

So remember, slow down, watch for children, and stop for school buses. These are all things that every driver should know by now. However, we often hear of cases where drivers fail to do these things. Be smart out there! Don't be one of those drivers.