Operation Safe Stop: Learn the Law About Stopping for School Buses

Children have been back to school for over a month, and by now, motorists should be accustomed to seeing school buses on their morning and afternoon commutes. However, some drivers still remain negligent when it comes to approaching and passing school buses.

Know the law:

When a school bus has flashing yellow lights, it is preparing to stop. Vehicles approaching or following a bus flashing yellow lights should slow down and get ready to stop.

When a school bus has flashing red lights, it is time to STOP! A "STOP" sign and safety arm may extend from the bus as well. Vehicles approaching the bus and those following it must leave at least 10 feet of space.

It is the law to stop and wait for a school bus that is flashing its red lights, yet more than 700 drivers are convicted each year of passing a stopped bus. Doing so can put children's lives at risk.

All school buses in the State College Area School District have cameras to catch violators. If convicted, you could lose your license, get a hefty fine, and face additional penalties.

Operation Safe Stop: As part of School Bus Safety Week (Oct. 17-21), Ferguson Township Police will be working with PennDOT to promote Operation Safe Stop (Wed., Oct. 19). This initiative's goal is to educate motorists on the importance of stopping for school buses, and to help ensure that the children in our community can get on and off the bus in a safe environment. Our officers will be watching targeted areas during Operation Safe Stop for any red light violations.

The graphic below from PennDOT helps illustrate Pennsylvania's school bus stopping law. PennDOT's poster also explains the situations in which drivers must stop and contains other info about school bus stopping regulations.

Visit PennDOT's page on School Bus Safety for more information.