TAMPA, Fla — With students headed back to school, you’ll see school buses back in the mix on the roads. Passing stopped school buses is a problem across Tampa Bay and Florida.
Here are the rules of the road when it comes to school buses.
Speeding or not stopping at a school bus stop arm is not only illegal — it can be deadly. In Florida, if you’re driving on a two-lane road when the stop arm is out, drivers in both directions have to stop until all children are clear of the road and the bus stop sign is back in.
If the road you’re driving on has several lanes and is only divided by a paved median, drivers in both directions have to stop.
If the highway is divided by a raised barrier or a median at least five feet wide, you don’t have to stop if you’re moving in the opposite direction of the bus.
Painted lines or pavement markings are not considered barriers. If you’re moving in the same direction as the bus, you always have to stop.
Tickets for passing a stopped school bus start at $165 in Florida and could get 4-points added to your license.
You’ll also be required to take a driver improvement course.