When must a Florida driver stop for a school bus?
On a two-lane road, a school bus ahead displays its stop signal while stopped. What must you do?
The answer
Drivers approaching a school bus that is stopped and displaying its stop signal must come to a full stop and not pass until the signal has been withdrawn.
Under Florida's statute, a driver approaching a school bus displaying a stop signal must stop for as long as the bus is stopped, and may not pass until the signal is withdrawn. Passing on the side where children enter or exit is a separate violation that carries a mandatory hearing.
A bus must stop as far to the right as possible before loading or unloading, and show warning lights and stop signals as State Board of Education rules require.
Exceptions
- Drivers traveling the opposite direction on a divided highway need not stop if the road has an unpaved space of at least 5 feet, a raised median, or a physical barrier between the directions.
Penalty
Violating the stop requirement is a moving violation under chapter 318. The statute page does not list fine amounts.
Why this rule matters for safety
Children often cross in front of or behind the bus where drivers cannot easily see them. Staying stopped until the signal turns off keeps them out of the path of moving cars.
Official sources
- Florida Statutes 316.172 (Traffic to stop for school bus) · Florida Legislature (flsenate.gov)Subsections (1)(a), (1)(b), (2), (3). Page shown as the 2026 edition.
Rules checked against these sources on . Laws change. Confirm with the Florida agency before you rely on this for a legal matter.
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