School zones move fast and children move unpredictably. Texas law sets clear rules for when drivers must stop for a school bus, and the penalties for ignoring them are significant.
When You Must Stop
Under Tex. Transp. Code Sec. 545.066, every driver approaching a school bus from either direction must stop completely before reaching the bus when the bus extends its stop sign, turns on flashing red lights, or uses other visual signals. Those signals tell traffic that students are getting on or off.
Flashing yellow lights are an earlier warning that the bus is preparing to pull over. Slow down and get ready to stop; do not try to pass once the yellow lights begin. On a two-lane road without a median or wall, drivers on the opposite side must stop too.
When You May Pass
You can proceed past a stopped school bus only when:
- The bus driver signals you to go
- The bus resumes motion
- The visual signals are no longer in use
- You are on a separate roadway divided by a median or wall
- You are on a controlled-access highway
Penalties for Illegal Passing
Failing to stop when the law requires is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $500 and up to $1,250. A second or later offense can bring a fine of $1,000 to $2,000, up to six months of license suspension, and community service. If a driver’s failure to stop causes bodily injury, the offense becomes a Class A misdemeanor — and a state jail felony for a driver previously convicted of the same conduct.
Why It Matters
Children are most vulnerable when boarding or leaving a bus. They may dart across the street or step into the road without checking for traffic, so the duty to react falls on the driver. Stay alert in school zones, keep a safe following distance behind buses, slow down near stops, and never assume a child sees you.
When a driver ignores these rules and a child is hurt, a Texas injury lawyer can hold the negligent driver accountable.