When must you stop for a school bus with flashing red lights, state by state?
Every state’s answer, and the District of Columbia’s, from its own manual or code: 51 have a rule on this, quoted below with where it is written.
Statutes fetched between 6 and 7 October 2026; manuals fetched between 6 September and 4 October 2026. How the answers are made
| State | The rule | Where it is written | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | When you follow or meet a school bus or church bus stopped on the road with its stop signal arm extended and red lights flashing, you must stop and remain stopped until the arm is retracted and the lights are off. | Alabama Driver Manual, p.61 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Alaska | When a school bus's yellow/amber warning lights are flashing, approaching drivers must reduce speed, and must stop completely when the bus stops, red lights flash and the stop sign is extended. | Alaska Driver Manual, p.53 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Arizona | A. On meeting or overtaking from either direction a school bus that has stopped on the highway, the driver of a vehicle on a highway shall: 1. Stop the vehicle before reaching the school bus, if the school bus is displaying the signal as provided in subsection D of this section and if alternately flashing lights are in use. 2. Not proceed until the school bus resumes motion or the signal and alternately flashing lights are no longer displayed. | Arizona law, A.R.S. § 28-857(A) | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Arkansas | In Arkansas, when you approach a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing, you must make a complete stop and stay stopped until the lights are turned off. | Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, p.12 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| California | When a school bus flashes red lights, you must stop from either direction until the children are safely across and the lights stop flashing. | California Driver’s Handbook, p.51 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Colorado | You must stop at least 20 feet before reaching a school bus stopped with its red lights flashing, and remain stopped until the lights stop flashing. | Colorado Driver Handbook, p.11 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Connecticut | You must stop for a school bus stopped with its red lights flashing, whether it is on your side of the road, the opposite side, or at an intersection you are approaching. | Connecticut Driver's Manual, p.37 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Delaware | In Delaware, you must stop before reaching a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children, whichever direction you are coming from. | Delaware Driver Manual, p.89 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| District of Columbia | When a school vehicle is stopping or stopped with its alternating flashing red lights on, all vehicles must stop at least 20 feet from its front or rear. | DC Driver Manual, p.66 | 16 Sep 2026 |
| Florida | On a two-way street or highway, all drivers moving in either direction must stop for a stopped school bus picking up or dropping off children. | Official Florida Driver License Handbook, p.89 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Georgia | Once a school bus has its red lights on and its stop arm out, no vehicle may pass it while it is loading or unloading passengers. | Georgia Driver's Manual, p.45 | 18 Sep 2026 |
| Hawaii | When a school bus is stopped on a highway with its alternating red lamps flashing, drivers in the bus's lane and in every lane next to it must stop before reaching the bus. | State of Hawaii Driver’s Manual, p.96 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Idaho | You must stop when approaching a school bus displaying flashing red lights while stopped to pick up or drop off children. | July 2026 Idaho Driver's Handbook, p.70 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Illinois | At any other time a driver must stop before meeting or overtaking a school bus that is stopped and loading or unloading passengers, on any two-lane roadway, any highway or private road, and any parking lot on school property. | Illinois Rules of the Road 2026, p.33 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Indiana | You must stop when you approach a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm out. | Indiana Driver's Manual, p.52 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Iowa | b. The driver of a vehicle, including the driver of a vehicle operating on a private road or driveway, overtaking a school bus shall not pass a school bus when red or amber warning signal lights are flashing. The driver shall bring the vehicle to a complete stop no closer than fifteen feet from the school bus when it is stopped and the stop arm is extended, and the vehicle shall remain stopped until the stop arm is retracted and the school bus resumes motion. | Iowa law, Iowa Code § 321.372(3) | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Kansas | A Kansas driver must stop for a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing or its stop arm extended. | Kansas Driving Handbook, p.50 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Kentucky | When a Kentucky school or church bus is stopped on any roadway to load or unload passengers, a driver must stop and remain stopped until all people are clear of the roadway and the bus is in motion. | Kentucky Driver Manual, p.44 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Louisiana | On an undivided road, you must stop for a stopped school bus whether you are meeting it or traveling behind it. | Class D & E Driver's Guide, p.88 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Maine | In Maine, if you approach a stopped school bus with red lights flashing from either direction, you must stop to the front or rear of the bus and wait while children get on or off. | Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.68 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Maryland | If a school bus has stopped on the road with its flashing red lights on, you must stop at least 20 feet from the back of it if you are behind, and at least 20 feet from the front if you are in front. | Maryland Driver's Manual, p.38 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Massachusetts | If a school bus has its lights flashing and a stop sign extended you must stop, whichever side of the road you are on. | Massachusetts Driver's Manual, p.105 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Michigan | Stop at least 20 feet from a school bus with its red overhead lights flashing; it is picking up or dropping off passengers. | What Every Driver Must Know, p.28 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Minnesota | When a school bus is stopped with red lights flashing and its stop arm out, you must stop at least 20 feet from it. | Minnesota Driver’s Manual, p.42 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Mississippi | You must stop for a school bus each time its red lights are flashing or its stop sign is extended. | Mississippi Driver's License Manual, p.58 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Missouri | 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. | Missouri Driver Guide, p.23 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Montana | When meeting or passing a school bus stopped with its red lights flashing, you must stop at least 30 feet from the bus. | Montana Driver Manual, p.40 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Nebraska | Stop a reasonable distance from a school bus that has its red lights on. | Nebraska Driver’s Manual, p.70 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Nevada | Nevada law requires you to stop at any location for a school bus displaying a flashing red signal. | Nevada Driver Handbook, p.64 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Hampshire | Drivers must stop at least 25 feet in any direction for a school bus stopped with its red lights flashing or its stop arm extended. | New Hampshire Driver's Manual, p.27 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Jersey | A driver must stop at least 25 feet from a school bus with flashing red lights on a two-lane road or a multi-lane road divided by lines. | New Jersey Driver Manual, p.77 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Mexico | You must stop for a school bus stopped with its red lights flashing, whether it is on your side of the road, the other side, or at an intersection you are coming to. | New Mexico Driver Manual, p.12 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| New York | When a stopped school bus flashes its red lights, traffic approaching from either direction, even in front of the school and in school parking lots, must stop before it reaches the bus. | New York State Driver's Manual, p.40 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| North Carolina | When a school bus displays its mechanical stop signal or flashing red lights to pick up or drop off passengers, any vehicle approaching it must stop and not pass until the stop signal is withdrawn, the lights are off and the bus has started to move. | North Carolina Driver Handbook, p.47 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| North Dakota | When a school bus is stopped and flashing its red lights, drivers approaching from both directions must stop, because children are being loaded or unloaded. | North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, p.20 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Ohio | Where a school bus stops on a road of fewer than four lanes, traffic approaching from both directions stops at least ten feet from the front or rear of the bus and stays stopped until it moves or the driver signals them on. | Digest of Ohio Motor Vehicle Laws, p.29 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Oklahoma | If you approach a school or church bus with flashing red lights or showing a red STOP sign, children are getting on or off and you must stop. | Oklahoma Driver Manual, p.30 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Oregon | Flashing amber lights warn that a school bus is about to stop to load or unload children, so prepare to stop; when the red lights flash you must stop before reaching the bus and remain stopped until the driver turns them off. | 2026-2027 Oregon Driver Manual, p.55 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | When a school bus stops with its red lights flashing and its stop arm out, you must stop at least 10 feet away, whether you are behind it, coming toward it, or approaching the intersection where it has stopped. | PA Driver's Manual, p.58 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Rhode Island | When a school bus has its red lights flashing, motorists approaching from either direction must come to a full stop and stay stopped until the red lights stop flashing. | Rhode Island Driver’s Manual, p.54 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| South Carolina | You are required to stop for a stopped school bus when driving on a two-lane road, whichever direction you are traveling. | South Carolina Driver's Manual, p.84 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| South Dakota | You must stop for a school bus that has its red lights flashing or its stop arm extended. | South Dakota Driver License Manual, p.43 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Tennessee | When a school bus has red lights flashing and its stop arm out, you must stay stopped until the stop arm is pulled back and the bus starts moving. | Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, p.51 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Texas | A driver approaching a school bus from either direction must stop when the bus is showing alternately flashing red lights. | Texas Driver Handbook, p.23 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Utah | A driver must stop immediately before reaching a school bus displaying alternating flashing red light signals visible from the front or rear. | Utah Driver Handbook 2026-2027, p.36 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Vermont | Once the bus has stopped and the alternately flashing red warning lights are on, you must stop your vehicle. This applies even in a school yard. | 2025 Vermont Driver's Manual, p.40 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Virginia | You must stop for a stopped school bus with flashing signals and an extended stop arm when you approach from any direction on a highway, private road or school driveway, and stay stopped until everyone is clear and the bus moves again. | Virginia Driver's Manual, p.15 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Washington | Every driver traveling in the same direction as a school bus must stop when its red lights flash and the stop sign is extended. | Washington State Driver Guide, p.95 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| West Virginia | On all highways, streets, parking lots, private roads and driveways, traffic in both directions must stop before reaching a school bus with its red lights flashing that is picking up or setting down students. | West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, p.50 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Wisconsin | A driver must stop for a school bus with flashing red lights whether it is on the same side of the road or the opposite side. | Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, p.51 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Wyoming | You must stop when meeting or coming up behind a stopped school bus with flashing red lights, from either direction, and stay stopped until the bus moves or its red lights go off. | Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, p.50 | 14 Sep 2026 |
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