It is very important to stop for school buses during school time period. School buses transport vulnerable children. Therefore, the penalties for breaking these laws can be significant. You might also face an insurance claim or lawsuit if an accident were to occur because you failed to stop for a school bus.

One way states seek to reduce these types of tragic accidents is by establishing strict rules for when motorists must stop for school buses. In California, the law states that:

• Drivers behind school buses must stop when school buses stop and display their flashing red lights (and extend their stop signs, if equipped).
• When school buses stop and display their flashing red lights and extend their stop signs (if equipped) on two-lane roads lacking medians, vehicles on both sides of the road must stop.
• Traffic on both sides of the road must stop on a two-lane road with a center turn lane.
• On a road with four lanes, motorists driving on the side of the road without a stopped school bus may proceed. However, they should exercise extreme caution when doing so.
• Motorists on the side of the road without a stopped school bus may proceed when there is a raised divider.
• Motorists on the side of the road without a stopped school bus may proceed when there is a median.

Drivers can also pass a stopped school bus in the following circumstances:

• When the red lights stop flashing and the stop sign is no longer extended;
• When the bus driver indicates that they may pass;
• When the bus begins moving again.

That said, even if you can legally pass a school bus, it’s vital that you do so cautiously. It’s often advisable not to attempt to pass a school bus unless you are absolutely confident you can do so safely and legally. 

In California, fines for disobeying laws regarding when a driver must stop for a school bus can be as high as $1,000, plus the risk of lost driving privileges. Again, this does not include the other consequences a driver might face if they cause an accident and the victim or their family files a claim or lawsuit in response.