COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — As back-to-school dates approach, morning and afternoon traffic will see an uptick in yellow school buses. Here’s what drivers need to know.
Per Ohio law, school buses should be equipped with lights and stop signs that are extended when a bus stops. Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop if they see a moving school bus flash its lights or indicate it will stop soon.
On roads with fewer than four lanes, if a school bus stops, so should you. According to Ohio law, vehicles must stop at least 10 feet from the front or rear of a school bus. The rule applies to both directions of traffic as long as a street if there are three lanes of traffic or fewer. For four lanes or more, opposite traffic can continue moving, but traffic going the same direction as the school bus needs to stop.
List: Everything to know about public school bus schedules in Franklin County
Although lights and signs are a good indicator and are typically used by bus drivers, Ohioans on the road should be vigilant anytime they see a school bus. If a bus driver fails to deploy its stop sign or flash its lights when it should, drivers are still liable if they do not stop.