To The Motorists

Everybody has a job in school bus safety

Everybody has a job in school bus safety, even you the Motorist, School Bus Drivers can not do their job of safely transporting students to and from school without your help.

This page was developed to help you, the California Motorists to understand school buses a little better and to hopefully enhance your education on the laws and safety aspects relating to the school bus industry.

We Need Your Help

You the motorist need to be attentive to see the school buses stopped on the road or off the road. BE PREPARED FOR THE RED LIGHTS AT ALL TIMES WHEN APPROACHING A SCHOOL BUS. But even when these lights are not flashing, or even after flashing red lights are turned off, you should slow down and use extra caution whenever driving in the vicinity of a school bus.                                 

As we all know children are unpredictable and may run out into traffic.  The students on a school bus depend on you not to endanger them as they enter or exit their school bus.

When to stop...When to go

This can be an extremely difficult decision you have to make as a Motorist in the State of California. It may even be the cost of a child's life if you make the wrong decision.

The Law is simple STOP WHEN RED LIGHTS FLASH

What are Red Lights

Red lights flashing on a stopped school bus mean that children will be exiting the bus and for their safety the law requires all motorists to stop until the red lights stop flashing.

The red lights are located in the front and rear of the bus at the very top.

All California School Bus Drivers do their best to give you a warning that the red lights are about to be activated by displaying flashing amber lights 200 feet prior to stopping to load or unload students.

What are Amber Lights

The amber flashing lights are located in the front and rear of the school bus at the very top next to the red lights.

Compliments of
Blue Bird Corporation

WHAT ABOUT THOSE SCHOOL BUSES THAT JUST THROW ON THE RED LIGHTS WITH NO WARNING?  Not all school buses in the state have the amber flashing lights, so when ever you see a bus pulling over to the side of the road you should slow down and prepare for the flashing red lights to be activated.

What does this mean to you the motorist

When the amber lights are flashing it indicates the red flashing lights are about to come on and children will be entering or exiting the bus. As a motorist you do not need to stop for the flashing amber lights but you should slow down and be prepared to stop. Once the flashing red lights are activated you are required to stop.

Basically like a taffic light, amber means slow, red means stop.

Where to stop

You are required to stop prior to the bus before you pass the rear bumper or the front bumper.