School Bus Across a Divided Highway
At 3:20 p.m. on a clear Thursday, Luis is westbound on a four-lane divided Iowa highway with a raised concrete median. A school bus is stopped on the eastbound side, directly across from Luis. Its red lights are flashing and its stop arm is extended. Two children are standing on the eastbound shoulder near the bus, and one appears to be waiting to cross the eastbound lanes. Luis is in the left westbound lane at 55 mph, the posted limit. A car ahead of him in the right westbound lane slows abruptly, and the driver gestures at Luis. There is no intersection or crosswalk. The median is about 30 feet wide with grass and a concrete barrier. Visibility is good.
1. Must Luis stop for the school bus? Explain the rule and how the median affects it.
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No, Luis is not legally required to stop on the opposite side of a divided highway. Iowa's school-bus stop rule requires traffic traveling in the same direction as the bus to stop for flashing red lights and the extended stop arm. Traffic on the other side of a raised median or a physical barrier is generally not required to stop, because children are not expected to cross the divided highway. The 30-foot grass and concrete median makes this a divided highway. Luis should still slow down and watch the children on the eastbound shoulder, because a child can step into the road. If the median were only a painted line or a two-way left-turn lane, the answer would be different.
2. What should Luis do about the car ahead slowing and gesturing?
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He should not treat the other driver's gesture as a command or as proof that the road is clear. The car ahead may be slowing for a child, for debris, or for no good reason. Luis should check his mirror, ease off the accelerator, and increase his following distance so he can stop if the car stops suddenly. He should be predictable: no sudden lane change, no passing on the shoulder, and no hard braking unless needed. If the car stops, Luis should stop behind it at a safe distance and wait until he can see that the way is clear. A gesture is not a substitute for his own observation.
3. Suppose the median ended and the bus were on a two-lane road with its red lights on. What would change?
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On a two-lane road, Luis would have to stop for the bus's flashing red lights and extended stop arm, regardless of which side of the road the bus is on, because children may cross the road. He should stop at least 15 feet from the bus, remain stopped until the red lights stop flashing and the stop arm is retracted, and then proceed only after checking for children. He should not pass the bus while the lights are flashing, even if the bus is in the opposite lane. The median rule is what changes the answer, not the bus's warning lights.