Student Crossing at a Stop With a Blind Hill
Mr. Lee drives a 40-foot, 84-passenger school bus on a two-lane road posted 45 mph; the limit rises to 55 mph 100 feet beyond the stop. At 3:20 p.m. he stops at a designated stop where six students must cross from the right side to homes on the left. A hill crest is 250 feet behind the bus, and there is no crosswalk. Traffic is heavy. Lee activates the alternating red lights and extends the stop arm. A pickup approaching from behind at about 50 mph does not slow. Three students have stepped off and stand beside the bus; one is on the bottom step. Lee sees the pickup clearly in his left mirror. The students are waiting for his hand signal to cross. Lee is alone, with no aide, and has a two-way radio.
1. What should Lee do right now about the three students who are off the bus and the one on the bottom step?
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He should not signal them to cross. The pickup has not slowed, and the extended stop arm is not a physical barrier. Keep the three students who are already off the bus stationary on the shoulder, away from the traffic lane, and tell the student on the bottom step to remain there or step back up. Use the PA and a clear hand signal; do not leave the driver's seat to walk into the road if that exposes him. Sound the horn if the pickup continues, and be ready to record the plate.
Only after traffic in both directions has stopped should he signal the students to cross-at least 10 feet ahead of the bus, after they look both ways. If traffic does not stop, keep them on the bus side and consider returning them aboard. Student safety outranks the schedule.
2. Evaluate the stop location. What should Lee do after the run?
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The location is poor. A hill crest 250 feet behind gives a 50-mph driver little sight distance, and the speed rises to 55 mph just ahead, which increases closing speed. A designated stop is not automatically a safe stop.
After the run, Lee should document the sight-distance problem and ask the transportation supervisor to relocate the stop beyond the crest or to a protected location. He should request an aide or police presence if the road cannot be changed. On the route, he should not improvise a crossing in a blind spot; if no safe crossing can be made, he should keep students aboard and contact dispatch. The goal is to fix the hazard, not just to survive it each afternoon.
3. If the pickup passes the extended stop arm, what should Lee do?
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He should not chase the vehicle. Keep the students back, get the plate and description if it is safe to do so, and report the event to dispatch and law enforcement. Many states impose serious penalties for passing a school bus stop arm, and the report matters for enforcement and for the district's safety review. He should also note the event on his route sheet and request a review of the stop.
If the passing vehicle creates an immediate danger, he should use the horn and keep students out of the roadway. The priority is to prevent a second violation or a pedestrian injury, not to confront the driver.