CURRITUCK, N.C. — Students in North Carolina returned to school on Monday morning. The new year serves as a good opportunity to remind drivers about school bus safety laws.
NORTH CAROLINA
In North Carolina, drivers must stop for buses on two-lane roads that have blinking red lights and the stop sign, regardless of what side of traffic they’re on.
On a four-lane road, drivers must stop behind stopped buses regardless of whether there is a median or a turn lane. Drivers traveling in the opposite direction only stop if there is no median or turn lane.
In 2017, North Carolina enacted a new school bus camera law that allows violators to be ticketed. Many school buses are now equipped with exterior cameras that take footage of drivers illegally passing stopped buses.
Offenders will be fined $400 for a first offense, $750 for a second, and $1,000 for a third.
“Yes sir, not only with the beginning of the school year but a continuation throughout the entire school year,” said Currituck County Deputy Will Davis. “The safety of our kids in Currituck County is a priority to us. And we have a zero tolerance when it comes to not obeying the school bus laws.”
Deputy Davis said if you get busted passing a stopped bus, you could get five DMV points on your license, which is more than a reckless driving violation.
VIRGINIA
In Virginia, drivers must stop for stopped school buses with red flashing lights and a stop sign extended. Traffic traveling in both directions must remain stopped until the bus starts moving again. Drivers must also stop if a bus is loading or unloading children, even if the signals are not on.
The only time drivers do not need to stop is when the school bus is traveling in the opposite direction on a divided roadway with a median or barrier.
Drivers who pass a stopped school bus face a charge of reckless driving, according to the Virginia DMV. A conviction carries up to a year in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500.