Special Stops
Special Stops - what the exam tests
This domain tests stop-arm law by road type and the extra judgment needed at hills, curves, intersections, and divided highways. Minnesota questions often ask which vehicles must stop when a bus is unloading on a divided road or one-way street.
Stop-arm law by road type
- On an undivided two-lane road, traffic in both directions must stop for a school bus with red lights and stop arm deployed.
- On a divided highway with two or more lanes in each direction, only traffic approaching from behind the bus must stop; opposite-direction traffic is not required to stop.
- On a one-way street, only traffic approaching from behind must stop.
Choosing a safe stop
- Avoid stops on hills, curves, or where students would cross multiple lanes.
- Use hazard lights when stopped in a hazardous location and the red lights are not already required.
- Keep the bus fully off the travel lane when possible.
Worked example
A bus stops on a four-lane divided highway with two lanes each way. The driver activates the red lights and stop arm. Traffic behind the bus must stop; traffic in the opposite direction may continue because of the divided median. The driver still checks both directions before signaling a student who must cross.
Traps that cost marks
- Assuming all traffic stops on a divided highway.
- Stopping partly in a travel lane on a narrow road.
- Forgetting that a center left-turn lane does not make a road divided.
- Signaling a student to cross before checking the opposite direction.
Key points
- Both directions stop on an undivided two-lane road.
- Only same-direction traffic stops on a divided highway.
- Only traffic behind stops on a one-way street.
- Avoid stops on hills, curves, and multi-lane crossings.
- Keep the bus out of the travel lane when possible.