It's Elementary

If you had to recite the basic rules of the road regarding school buses, could you do it? Based on what I occasionally see and what Michigan school bus drivers say they see on a weekly basis, I'd say a few of us could use a refresher. On that note, here is what Michigan drivers need to know when approaching a school bus:

• If the bus’s overhead yellow lights are flashing, prepare to stop.
• If the bus’s red lights are flashing, stop at least 20 feet away from the bus. This applies to traffic coming from both directions.
• Do NOT wait for the driver to extend a stop sign from the side of the bus. Those little stop signs have no bearing on your obligation to stop.
• Once you have stopped, do not proceed until you are sure all children who disembarked are safe, and the bus’s red lights have stopped flashing or the bus has begun to move.
• Drivers traveling in the opposite direction of the school bus do not have to stop if their lane is separated from the school bus’s lane by a barrier or a space such as a boulevard.

The penalties for failing to observe these simple traffic laws range from civil fines and court costs to criminal conviction, heavier fines, and jail or prison time if your infraction causes injury or death. So, please be careful out there and keep both yourself and our students safe during this School Bus Safety Week and beyond.

Questions? You can reach the attorneys of Wright Beamer at 248.477.6300.