As students across Austin County head back to school, drivers are reminded that one of the most important traffic laws in Texas is also one of the most commonly ignored – Texas Transportation Code Section 545.066 commonly known as Texas’ School Bus Stopping Law.
Every school day, children step off buses and cross streets to get home. While riding on a school bus is one of the safest ways for children to travel, the moments when they are getting on or off the bus are when they are most vulnerable. That’s why Texas law requires motorists to stop for school buses displaying flashing red lights and an extended stop arm.
What the Law Says
Under Texas law, drivers approaching a stopped school bus from either direction must stop when the bus is loading or unloading students and its red warning lights are flashing with the stop arm extended.
Drivers must remain stopped until the bus begins moving again, the bus driver signals traffic to proceed, or the red lights stop flashing and the stop arm is retracted.
When You Don’t Have to Stop
The main exception applies to divided highways.
If a school bus is stopped on the opposite side of a roadway separated by a physical barrier such as a concrete median, guardrail or other divider, drivers traveling in the opposite direction are not required to stop.
However, painted center turn lanes or double yellow lines are not considered a divided highway. If there is no physical barrier separating traffic, vehicles traveling in both directions must stop.
Why It Matters
Although school buses are extremely safe, children face their greatest danger outside the bus while walking near traffic.
Over the past decade, 206 school-age children were killed in school transportation-related crashes across the United States. Of those, 78 were pedestrians, underscoring the risks children face while crossing the street to board or leave a school bus.
School transportation officials have also documented more than 1,200 loading and unloading fatalities over the past five decades, with nearly three-fourths of the victims younger than 10 years old.
Just as concerning, a nationwide survey estimated that drivers illegally passed stopped school buses more than 43.5 million times during the 2022-23 school year.
Why Drivers Keep Passing
Safety officials say illegal passing happens for several reasons. Some drivers simply don’t know the law, while others are distracted, impatient or in a hurry.
Whatever the reason, the consequences can be devastating.
School bus drivers activate flashing yellow lights before stopping to warn motorists that they are about to load or unload students. Once the red lights begin flashing and the stop arm extends, drivers who are required to stop must remain stopped until the warning signals are turned off or the bus begins moving again.
Slow Down. Stay Alert.
As school resumes, expect to see more buses on Austin County roads each morning and afternoon. Children can be unpredictable and may dart into the roadway without warning.
Taking a few extra moments to stop for a school bus isn’t just following the law—it’s protecting the lives of children who are simply trying to get to and from school safely.
One moment of patience could save a life.
You can download the graphic HERE.
