Previously the law required drivers to stop for a bus’s red flashing lights AND extended stop arm. The previous version could have created a situation where some drivers might pass the bus when the lights were flashing but the stop arm wasn’t extended.

Red flashing lights indicate students are either entering or exiting the bus. Motorists must stop at least 20 feet from a school bus that is displaying flashing red lights, regardless of whether the stop arm has been extended. This applies when approaching from behind the bus and from the opposite direction on undivided roads.

Drivers who violate the law face a $500 fine and can face criminal charges for passing a school bus on the right, passing when a child is outside the bus, or injuring or killing a child.