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10 Time Saver Traffic: Rules of the road as students head back to school

(WAVY) — As students head back to school, there are several safety recommendations and laws that drivers need to remember before hitting the road.

To start, if you encounter a bus on the road with its stop arm out, drivers must come to a complete stop. The only exception is if you are separated by an unpaved median and traveling in the opposite direction.


The Rutter Mills law firm reminds drivers of the following Virginia school bus traffic laws:

As of 2019, Rutter Mills says the penalties for failing to stop for a school bus in Virginia range from a $250 fine to a $2,500 reckless driving violation fine.

School zone speeds will decrease during pick-up and drop-off hours. During these times, vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the area will be increased. To keep yourself and school-goers safe, the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA) asks drivers to:

In all the back-to-school excitement, it’s likely some children may not be thinking to prioritize their safety. James Lash, Executive Director of Transportation and Fleet Management Services for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, says it’s up to the adults behind the wheel to stay alert to keep students safe. He adds that, as a former bus driver, having drivers not utilizing safe driving laws makes the job harder.

“It’s very frustrating to be a bus driver. You keep an eye on kids, you keep an eye on traffic, students at bus stops when you’re pulling up,” Lash explained. “To see a car go past you it’s very frustrating… and unnerving really. Because you just never know.” 

Experts also recommend parents have a chat with their students about traffic safety especially if they’re walking or biking to school.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA), students are about 70% more likely to get to school safely when taking a bus instead of traveling by car.

They say that’s because school buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road; they’re designed to be safer than passenger vehicles in preventing crashes and injuries; and in every state, stop-arm laws protect children from other motorists.

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