Clark, Perdue & List's Blog

Now that school is back in session, you may encounter a school bus during your morning or afternoon commute, and you may be unsure about the traffic rules that you learned so long ago in drivers' education. We all need a refresher course on basic traffic safety rules from time to time.

Traveling in the Same Direction as a School Bus

You cannot pass or overtake a school bus that has stopped to either pick up or drop off children. You must stop at least ten feet behind the school bus and remain stopped until the bus resumes its travel.

Though buses are required to extend a stop sign from the side of the vehicle, traffic is still required to stop even if the bus fails to display the sign.

Traveling in the Opposite Direction of a School Bus

If you are approaching a stopped bus from the opposite direction, you are required to stop at least ten feet from the front of the bus and remain stopped until the bus resumes its travel. However, if you are traveling on a roadway that is divided into four or more lanes of travel, you are not required to stop.

For a brief summary of these and other Ohio traffic laws, click on the following link: http://www.bmv.ohio.gov/misc/traffic_rules.htm.