DMVZoneBlogWhen to stop for a New Jersey school bus, when you must stay stopped for a pedestrian, and how the move over law works, with the fines and points for each.
Stop at least 25 feet from a school bus with flashing red lights, from either direction. Stop and stay stopped for anyone in a marked crosswalk. Move over a lane, or slow below the limit, for stopped emergency, tow, road crew and sanitation vehicles with flashing lights.
These three rules protect people who are standing in the road: kids getting off a bus, people on foot, and workers on the shoulder. They are also three of the easiest tickets to get, because each one asks you to stop or slow down when traffic around you might not.
Passing a stopped school bus carries 5 points, a fine of at least $100, and a possible 15 days in jail or 15 days of community service. Points and a court date for one impatient moment.
New Jersey requires drivers to stop, not just yield, for a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk, and to stay stopped until the person has crossed your half of the road. At unmarked crosswalks at intersections, you yield. Do not pass a car that is stopped at a crosswalk; it is probably stopped for someone you cannot see.
When you approach a stopped vehicle on the side of the road with flashing lights, you must move over into a lane that is not next to it. If you cannot change lanes safely, slow down below the posted limit and be ready to stop.
| Stopped vehicle | Lights that trigger the law |
|---|---|
| Police, fire, ambulance | Flashing red or blue |
| Tow trucks | Flashing amber |
| Highway maintenance and road crews | Flashing yellow, amber or red |
| Sanitation trucks | Flashing amber |
The move over fine is $100 to $500. On the Turnpike, Parkway and interstates, check your mirror early so you are not forced into a last-second lane change.
You are driving toward a school bus that has its red lights flashing on a two-lane road. What must you do?
Answer: B. On an undivided road, traffic in both directions must stop at least 25 feet from the bus.
A pedestrian is in a marked crosswalk on your side of the road. You must:
Answer: B. New Jersey requires a full stop and staying stopped for pedestrians in marked crosswalks.
A tow truck is stopped on the shoulder with amber lights flashing and the left lane is full. What do you do?
Answer: C. If you cannot move over safely, slow down below the posted limit and be prepared to stop.
How many points for passing a stopped school bus in New Jersey?
Answer: D. Passing a school bus carries 5 points.
If you are on the opposite side of a road divided by a median, you slow to 10 mph instead of stopping. Traffic behind the bus must stop.
The law names emergency vehicles, tow trucks, road crews and sanitation trucks. Slowing and giving space to any car on the shoulder is still the safe choice.
Yes. It carries 2 points and a $200 fine.
Checked against these pages on November 12, 2026. Laws change, so open the source before you rely on a number.
Rules and fees change. Always confirm the details with the official New Jersey DMV or motor vehicle agency before you act. DMVZone practice questions are written to teach the rules and are not copies of the real test.
New Jersey bans handheld phones behind the wheel. See the $200 to $800 fines, when points start, what hands-free allows, and the stricter rule for new drivers.
How many points a New Jersey ticket adds, when 12 points means suspension, and the four ways points come off your MVC record.
Why New Jersey bills some drivers every year for three years after a ticket, how much it costs, how to pay NJSVS, and what a course can and cannot fix.