School bus stops — Missouri Permit Test

A school bus flashes amber warning lights 500 feet before it comes to a designated stop.

The amber lights are the warning that a red-light stop is coming. Five hundred feet is enough room to slow down instead of brake hard.

Amber warning lights will flash 500 feet before the bus comes to a designated stop.

When the school bus is stopped, its alternately flashing red lights and its stop signal arm are activated, and oncoming and following traffic must stop before reaching the bus.

Red lights and the arm mean children are about to be in the road. Both directions stop, not just the one behind the bus.

Oncoming and following traffic must stop before they reach the bus when these signals are activated.

You must stop for a school bus on a two-lane road where vehicles travel in either direction.

On a two-lane road a child can be crossing to either side. Everyone stops because everyone is in the way.

You must stop: • On a two-lane road where the vehicles travel in either direction.

You do not have to stop when you are traveling the opposite direction from a school bus on a highway with four or more lanes of traffic.

Four lanes put enough road between you and the bus that children are not crossing to your side.

When you are traveling the opposite direction of a school bus on a highway containing four or more lanes of traffic; or

You do not have to stop when you are traveling the opposite direction from a school bus on a highway divided by a median where the two directions are on totally separate roads.

A real median makes two roads out of one. Children are not crossing from one to the other.

The following are situations when you do not have to stop: • When you are traveling the opposite direction of a school bus on a highway divided by a median where the vehicles traveling one direction are on a totally separate road from the vehicles traveling the opposite direction;

You do not have to stop when a school bus is stopped in a loading zone at a school where students are not permitted to cross the roadway.

The zone is designed so no child steps into traffic. The stop rule exists for crossing children, and there are none.

When a school bus is stopped in a loading zone (at a school) where students are not permitted to cross the roadway.

After stopping for a school bus that is unloading, you must remain stopped until the bus moves or the driver signals you to proceed.

The bus driver can see the children you cannot. Waiting for their signal is how you borrow that view.

You must remain stopped until the bus moves or the bus driver signals for you to proceed.

After stopping for a school bus that is unloading children, watch for children walking along the side of the road.

Getting off the bus is only half the journey. The rest of it is on foot, beside your car.

watch for school children walking along the side of the road

How far before a designated stop does a school bus begin flashing its amber warning lights?

500 feet ahead. The amber lights are the warning that a red-light stop is coming. Five hundred feet is enough room to slow down instead of brake hard. Missouri Driver Guide, p.23: “Amber warning lights will flash 500 feet before the bus comes to a designated stop.”