There is always a question about stopping for a school bus that is stopped on the opposite side of the roadway.
Most people understand that if you approach a school bus from the rear that has its lights activated and stop sign activated you must stop!
If the roadway is a 2-lane road with travel allowed in both directions or the roadway is 2 or more lanes with a paved center turn lane all vehicles approaching a stopped school bus with its lights activated and stop sign activated must stop from both directions!
Roadways that have 2 or more lanes divided by a physical median have different rules for stopping for a school bus. Roadways that are separated by a median that does not allow vehicle travel include grassy median, raised concrete median, continuous guard rail or retraining cables, or barrier walls fall into this category. If the roadway is separated by a physical median only the cars traveling in the same direction for the school bus are required to stop when the school bus has its lights and stop sign activated.
Georgia law O.C.G.A. 40-6-163 Unlawful Passing of a School Bus sections (a) and (b) provide the legal guidance for drivers:
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, the driver of a vehicle meeting or overtaking from either direction any school bus stopped on the highway shall stop before reaching such school bus when there are in operation on the school bus the visual signals as specified in Code Sections 40-8-111 and 40-8-115, and such driver shall not proceed until the school bus resumes motion or the visual signals are no longer actuated.
(b) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway with separate roadways need not stop upon meeting or passing a school bus which is on a different roadway, or upon a controlled-access highway when the school bus is stopped in a loading zone which is a part of or adjacent to such highway and where pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway.
Remember: Passing a school bus while lights and stop sign are activated is a major traffic offense and carries higher fines and penalties:
- Mandatory Court Appearance
- Up to $1000 Fine
- Up to 6 Points on Driving Record
- A Conviction Under 21 Years of Age Constitutes License Suspension
Source: https://mailchi.mp/61504d670a5d/happy-valentines-day-cobb-state-county?e=5be09609ca