Submitted: Although passing a school bus is dangerous and drivers who do that should be penalized, I am submitting this video so that bus drivers can understand the point of view from drivers out there.
As you can see in this video, the school bus had its orange flashing lights on for nearly a minute while driving down the road (it could have been longer as well, but I turned off to a different street).
There’s sometimes no way of knowing when the bus will turn on its red lights, and it can lead to dangerous situations.
It’s usually either this, or they go straight to red.
Either way, you have no realistic notice that they’re going to stop.
Drivers need to remember that yellow flashing lights on school buses are the beginning of red and not the end of green. Most of all buses have exterior cameras and they will record your license plate, so if you’re not pulled over today you’ll probably get your ticket in the mail.
You also can’t blame drivers when the bus driver decides to have a lengthy parent/driver conference on the street corner while dozens of cars are lined up behind him.
While it’s annoying as a driver to have to drive slower when you see yellow lights, the yellow lights are your warning sign to drive slowly because the bus has plans to make a stop and if you would just drive slowly you should have enough time to stop once the bus does in fact make that stop. When a traffic light turns yellow while many people speed up to pass through it so they don’t miss the red (I’m guilty of that too, you don’t know what the other side of the street is planning to do) so speeding through is also dangerous. It’s there for everyone’s safety to warn you that the light will be turning red. So drive slower regardless of how long the busses yellow lights are running for so you avoid an accident.
He was driving with yellow lights on but it’s not like he was standing at one stop with its yellow lights on for a minute and really confusing drivers. I think that’s a big difference and is likely that the driver left it on by mistake.
Attention Drivers:
School Busses are a fact of life. Traffic in Lakewood is a fact of life.
You need to be careful when driving near school busses. Allow yourself PLENTY of time to get to where you’re going to factor in these two life facts.
I know, it’s not always possible because surprises are also a fact of life.
The statute only requires drivers to stop while the flashing red lights are activated AND a student is actively entering or exiting the bus. There is NO requirement to stop when the driver is sitting there having a mini PTA with a mother while the student has already boarded, nor is there a requirement to stop for a driver who is wrongly sitting with red lights flashing with no student in sight, hoping a student will come out of the home.
A driver also does not have the right to keep his red lights flashing as he pulls away and proceeds to turn left in order to squeeze his way past opposing traffic that has the right of way.
All drivers should obey school bus safety laws including school bus drivers themselves.
I highly recommend you read the laws of school buses with flashing red lights (39:4-128.1). A vehicle must stop at least 25 feet from a stopped school bus in either direction until all students are safely on the bus “and the red lights have been turned off”. The “only time” this doesn’t apply is if the bus is picking up or dropping off kids directly in front and the same side of the school you may pass at a speed no greater than 10th. Just as a matter of fact, when passing a bus on the other side of a divided highway such as route 70, the max allowed speed is 10 mph.
Finally someone with some sechel. And it’s time to hold bus drivers responsible for child safety and traffic obstruction. A few simple things bus drivers can do to improve safety and reduce violations and traffic are:
1) don’t turn on your red lights while cars are in the middle of driving by.
2) don’t keep your lights on while you’re talking to a parent.
3) don’t keep your lights on while waiting for a child running (or walking) towards his stop.
Basically even though you have the ability to stop traffic for your “very important” job don’t let it corrupt you to the point where you forget about other people’s schedule. Maybe they’re rushing somewhere very important too and can’t spend all day waiting for buses.
Thanks for reminding everyone that there are a lot of self-centered people in the world who think their schedule and their lives are so much more important then those of our precious children. Maybe if you planned properly, knowing full well the amount of school buses and traffic in general that exist in Lakewood, you wouldn’t be “rushing somewhere”. “Rushing” in Lakewood is the cause of 90% of the many accidents we see daily. If you have to wait a minute for the school bus, type your text then, not while you are driving (I’m sure you are the type). Time to look in the mirror for some self-analysis
Why don’t you address my 3 points instead of just going on the attack. I think you’re the one who needs self analysis. You assume that “leaving extra time” is always the answer to all the people that actually have places they need to be. The reality is that there are plenty of situations that there just isn’t any extra time. And I have no problem waiting for school buses when it’s appropriate. My issue is with the 3 situations I outlined. Now instead of getting angry and attacking why don’t you address the 3 situations.
I agree with ANON 1000%
I don’t think you understand – the only way to stop the red light is to close the door of the bus. As long as the door is open, the stop sign is out and the bar is extended on the front.
Incorrect
What’s with the quotation marks?
Sorry, the drivers are to blame. There are no excuses. Get a life before you take one.
I’m not sure what you see in this video, all you see is a bus driver who probably came to a stop and the kid wasn’t there so he proceeded and forgot to turn off the yellow flashers, but I don’t see a reason why you should pass a red light in this situation.
It’s very hard for a driver to see if it’s open, once he realize they close it right away.
nice try!
maybe the bus drivers can remember that when your stopping on every corner and have a few blocks worth of cars behind you it may just be a good and considerate idea to pull over for 30 seconds so the cars can get by you and then continue on your way
it would eliminate the frustration of the dozens of cars that get stuck behind your bus !!!!
You are smart, just not politically correct and that is why others are chicken to say what you and ANON said
…and, after the 30 seconds, the remainder of the traffic is going to stop and allow the bus to continue its route, lol? Sure, that’s realistic (not).
That might be fine, in theory. In reality, however… there are lots of places where even someone in passenger vehicles (which have a *much* higher power-to-weight ratio) have to wait a good bit longer than that to enter the roadway during rush hour times (e.g. when the school busses are trying to get kids to and from school). If you’re in that big a hurry, it’s only fair to consider that the kids aren’t enjoying the time they have to spend on the bus any more than you enjoy the time behind it. Actually, since you can control your HVAC and stereo/etc., and almost certainly have a more comfortable ride, it’s a safe assumption that they enjoy it even less than you do. Now imagine doubling that time (or more). While you’re at it, know that the starting and stopping are the most dangerous times for the bus and its passengers, and that you want to artificially add more of those events… for your convenience.
If you cannot find, within yourself, some courtesy and decency, at least try faking it. Even if you’re on an organ transplant transport crew, that school bus driver’s cargo is more important and more valuable than yours is.
Patience is important! These are our children!
This has bothered me for a long time. School Bus Drivers should not put on their yellow lights while driving. They should come to a complete stop, put on their yellow lights, wait a few seconds and then the Red lights. When they put their yellow lights on too early people don’t know when to stop. I’ve sometimes stopped and then the bus passes me! If the bus is still driving why would people in the opposite direction stop? I’ve even seen buses with their Red lights on while still driving!
Just blame it on the bossa nova.
An oldie but a goodie.
Wow, a lot of selfish people on here. Not surprising. School buses aren’t going anywhere, quit your whining adults!
All I see in this video is a Tesla tailgating a school bus and then crossing over the double solid lines to make a left sooner.