It's National School Bus Safety Week: Do You Know Pa.'s Bus Laws?

By Alison Smith

It’s National School Bus Safety Week, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation says its the perfect time to remind ourselves of Pennsylvania’s school bus laws.

According to PennDOT:

• Motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop arm extended.
• Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped.
• Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn and all children have reached safety.
• If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.
• Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.

Failure to follow these laws can result in a $250 fine, a 60-day license suspension and 5 points on your license, PennDOT said.

National School Bus Safety week this year is Oct. 20 through 24, and the theme is “Be Smart – Be Seen, I wait in a safe place!” Find more information about National School Bus Safety Week here.