For children’s safety, know bus rules

I am a school bus driver and have found that many drivers are not fully aware of laws pertaining to school bus rules and regulations. As schools are opening this month, it’s important to keep them in mind.

State law requires school buses to stop for all railroad crossings. If you are approaching the bus from the front, you may proceed past with caution.

Bus drivers will indicate an intended entrance or exit to the bus by students when activating the yellow flashing lights prior to a stop. When bus drivers activate the flashing red lights and the stop sign on the left side of the bus, students will be loading or unloading. Stop if the red lights are flashing.

When a school bus is on a four-lane roadway with at least two lane of traffic traveling in the opposite direction, only those lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction as the bus must stop. When a school bus is traveling on a two-lane roadway, all lanes of traffic must stop.

The majority of children injured or killed in pupil transportation are not injured or killed on the school bus, but outside the bus. Most are struck by motorists who fail to stop for the flashing red lights and extended stop arm.

Penalties for passing a stopped school bus with light flashing include a mandatory minimum fine of $300 and a three-month suspension of driver’s license on the first offense and a mandatory fine of $1,000 and one-year suspension of driver's license for subsequent violations. A motorist cited for illegally passing a school bus is not eligible for court supervision.

Please consider these and other regulations posted on the Illinois State Police website to keep our children safe this school year.

Jim Reed

Lombard