School bus laws have been put into place to help keep YOUR children safe. Although these laws are in place, some people still don’t understand all of the rules surrounding school buses. At the end of the last legislative session, lawmakers passed a law that allowed oncoming traffic on highways divided only by a turn lane, to keep going even when school buses stopped to let kids out. In 2019, that has now been resolved.
We’ve broke down the Georgia School Bus Stop Law for you so that you know exactly what is expected from you when driving near a school bus.
When am I required to stop for a school bus?
This is probably the most commonly asked question and the answer is basically always! Here is the answer that we retrieved from team.georgia.gov:
Basic 2-lane road: When a school bus stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop.
2-lane road with a center turning lane: When a school bus stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop.
4-lane road with no median: When a school bus stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop.
4 or more-lane road with a center turning lane: When a school bus stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop.
Divided highway with 4 or more-lanes with a median: When a school bus stops for passengers, only traffic following the bus must stop.
Did you see the pattern there? In almost every scenario all cars are required to stop for a school bus. Pay attention to the roads you are on, and when in doubt STOP!
#Georgia takes their school bus stop law very seriously. You may often hear it called “Operation Stop Arm.” If you are caught breaking the above laws, you may be entitled to a mandatory court appearance, a hefty fine, points on your license, and other penalties.