Students should always be aware of the "avoid" areas near a school bus.  These "avoid" areas are the zones where the school bus operator has limited visibility. Students should always board the bus from the front and remain in the view of the bus operator. When the bus begins to pull away from the bus stop, students should not chase after the bus.

Do you know when to brake for that big yellow school bus? Knowing the rules could save you from a crash but more importantly, from striking a child with your vehicle. No one wants to do that.

So, what are the rules of the road when it comes to stopped school buses on Florida's roadways?

Motorists moving in both directions must stop when approaching a school bus with its lights activated and the stop sign extended. However, on a highway divided by a raised barrier or an unpaved median that is at least five-feet wide, a motorist traveling in the opposite direction of the stopped school bus may proceed with caution. That means the ONLY time we don't stop for a school bus that has its lights activated is when we are on the other side of a raised barrier or five-foot unpaved median, headed in the opposite direction of the bus. Even then, we proceed with caution.

Florida's departments of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Transportation, and Education have teamed up to develop Stop on Red, Kids Ahead, a statewide education campaign to remind motorists of the laws and safe practices to take when approaching a school bus. FloridaSchoolBusSafety.gov serves as the information portal for the campaign.