What are drivers allowed to do around school buses in Ohio?

Should you start making some extra time in your commute to accommodate school buses making stops for students?

As the back-to-school season starts in the Mahoning Valley, what are the safety rules for drivers sharing the road with school buses?

When do drivers need to stop for school buses?

When you see flashing amber lights on a school bus, that means the driver is about to stop to load or unload children. If you see these lights, prepare to stop for the bus.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, motorists approaching a school bus from either direction must stop at least 10 feet back from school buses displaying red lights and an extended arm with a stop sign.

This applies to all roads with fewer than four lanes. If a bus is coming to a stop on a road with four or more lanes, only motorists traveling in the same direction as the bus have to stop.

Motorists aren’t allowed to keep driving until the school bus begins moving.

What happens if you don’t stop?

OSP data shows over 6,000 traffic crashes from 2018 - 2022 involved school buses in Ohio.

According to the Ohio Revised Code, motorists who don’t stop for school buses in these situations could receive a $500 fine and have their license suspended for up to a year.

For more information, visit the Ohio Revised Code’s Traffic Laws website.

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