Bus Stops, Loading Zone Safety, and Use of Lights/Signs
Domain 6 tests where to place a bus stop, which lights and signs to use, and Oklahoma traffic law around stopped school buses. It overlaps with loading but focuses on stop design and signal use.
Choosing the stop
- Put the stop on the right side of the road, with at least 200 feet of visibility in both directions where possible.
- Avoid hill crests, sharp curves, railroad crossings, and intersections.
- Do not require students to cross a multi-lane divided highway when a same-side stop can be arranged.
Lights and signs
- Use amber warning lights before the stop and red flashing lights with the stop arm extended while students load or unload.
- Do not use hazard lights as a substitute for the eight-light system.
- Turn off the red lights and retract the stop arm only after all students are clear and before the bus moves.
- Use turn signals for every lane change and turn.
Oklahoma traffic law
Drivers approaching a stopped school bus with red lights flashing must stop at least 20 feet away and remain stopped until the lights stop. On a divided highway with a median, traffic on the other side is not required to stop. The bus driver must still ensure students do not enter that opposing lane.
Worked example
A bus stops on a four-lane divided highway. The driver activates amber lights, stops, extends the stop arm, and loads students from the right-side shoulder. An oncoming car on the other side of the median does not stop; that is lawful in Oklahoma. The driver keeps students on the right side and does not signal them across.
Traps
- Turning off red lights while a student is still crossing.
- Using hazard lights instead of the eight-light system.
- Placing a stop just over a hill crest.
- Assuming all opposing traffic must stop on a divided highway.