Alachua County Public Works is reminding drivers about school bus safety.
Motorists are required to stop when approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and stop arms extended (see the above diagrams for visual examples).
- All drivers moving in either direction on a two-way street must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children and the school bus stop arm is withdrawn (see diagram Two Lane).
- On a highway divided by a paved median, all drivers moving in either direction must stop for aschool bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children and the school bus stop arm is withdrawn. (see diagram Multi-Lane).
- The only time traffic approaching an oncoming school bus does not need to stop is if there is araised barrier such as a concrete divider or at least five feet of unpaved space separating the lanes of traffic (see diagram Divided Highway).
- On a highway divided by a raised barrier or an unpaved median at least five feet wide, drivers moving in the opposite direction do not have to stop for the bus (painted lines or pavementmarkings are not considered barriers). However, these motorists should slow down and watch for students loading or unloading from the bus (see diagram Divided Highway).
The penalty for failure to stop for a school bus is $265. If a second offense is committed within five years, the drivers' license will be suspended for up to one year.
The penalty for passing a school bus on the side that children enter and exit when the school bus displays a stop signal is $465. If a second offense is committed within five years, the drivers' license can be suspended up to two years.
For more safety tips, visit the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles School Bus Safety website.
For more information, contact Alachua County Public Works Senior Engineer Technician Clark Collins at 352-548-1271 or cccollins@alachuacounty.us.
