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Question

Difficulty: MediumEmergency Vehicles, School Buses, and Work Zones

You are driving on a four-lane roadway that is divided only by a center two-way left-turn lane. A school bus traveling in the opposite direction stops and activates its red flashing lights and extendable stop arm. What action are you legally required to take?

  1. Bring your vehicle to a complete stop until the flashing red lights turn off and the stop arm is fully retracted.Answer
  2. B
    Slow down and proceed with caution because the center turn lane acts as a physical barrier separating opposing traffic.
  3. C
    Yield the right-of-way only if children are actively stepping into or crossing your side of the roadway.
  4. D
    Reduce your speed to 15 mph and continue driving unless the bus displays a solid red traffic light.

Answer

Bring your vehicle to a complete stop until the flashing red lights turn off and the stop arm is fully retracted.
When a school bus stops and displays flashing red lights with an extended stop arm, drivers traveling in both directions on an undivided highway must stop. A continuous two-way left-turn lane is a painted lane marking and does not qualify as a physical median or divided barrier. Therefore, vehicles in opposing lanes must come to a complete stop and remain stopped until the signals are turned off.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the roadway configuration and the presence of a physical median.
The roadway has four travel lanes separated by a painted center two-way left-turn lane, which does not constitute a physical median, barrier, or unpaved space.
Under standard DMV traffic codes, only a physical barrier or divided median exempts oncoming traffic from stopping for a school bus.
2
Determine the required legal action when encountering a stopped school bus with red lights active on an undivided roadway.
Vehicles traveling in both directions must stop completely.
Painted lanes (including center left-turn lanes) do not prevent children from crossing all lanes of traffic.
3
Identify when it is safe and legal to resume driving.
Remain stopped until the red lights deactivate and the stop arm is retracted.
Proceeding before the bus deactivates its signals endangers pedestrians and violates traffic laws.

Key Concept

School Bus Stop Laws on Multi-Lane Roads with Shared Turn Lanes
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Topics

Emergency Vehicles, School Buses, and Work Zones

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