A school bus ahead of you in your lane is stopped with red lights flashing. You should:

• A. Stop and wait until red lights stop flashing.
• B. Proceed with caution.
• C. Stop as long as the red lights are flashing.
• D. Stop only if you are within 100 feet.

Answer: (C)

When a school bus in front of you stops with its red lights flashing, the priority is safety for children getting on or off the bus. You must come to a complete stop and remain stopped for the entire duration that the red lights are flashing. Do not try to time a pass or proceed until the lights are off and the bus signals it’s safe to move. Keep a safe distance—at least about 20 feet behind the bus—so you have room to react if a child steps into the roadway. Only after the lights stop flashing and the bus moves again (and the stop arm is withdrawn, if it was extended) may you proceed. If you’re on a divided highway with a physical barrier, traffic in the opposite direction may not have to stop, but you still must stop if the bus is in your lane.