Big yellow school buses full of children are an almost an American icon. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, about 23.5 million children are transported to and from school by these large yellow buses every year. In 2000, there were almost half a million school buses in the United States. There are various models of the yellow school bus. A Type A is a small cutaway van that is designed to carry small groups, such as 10 passengers. A Type B bus is a bit larger than the Type A, and is based on a chassis. A Type C bus is a medium duty flat-back cowl truck chassis. The engine is in front of the windshield and the entrance door is behind the front wheels. These are normally a conventional school bus. A Type D is a medium-duty truck chassis with front, mid, or rear engine. These are sometimes known as transit buses.

School buses are normally yellow, so that they stand out in traffic and are easily identifiable in all weather conditions. These large vehicles convey precious cargo on a daily basis, so school districts want to make sure that drivers can steer clear of them on the road. While bright yellow paint and large, bulky frames can help protect school buses from collisions, drivers must also do their share. Because of this, there are specific laws of conduct as to how men and women should drive around school buses. According to a DMV document issued in Pennsylvania, when you meet a stopped school bus with red signal lights flashing, you need to stop. Many school buses are also equipped with a stop sign that will extend off of the driver's side of the bus to further enforce this concept.

If you approach an intersection where a school bus is stopped with red lights flashing and the stop arm extended, you need to halt here as well. More than likely, this means that children will be getting off the bus. This applies even if you are not behind the bus. Normally a crossing guard will enter the intersection to help direct traffic. Whenever you stop for a school bus, give at least ten feet of room from your front bumper to the back of the bus. This will help prevent a collision, even if your car is hit from the back. When you are stopped behind a bus, you must wait until the red lights have stopped flashing and the stop arm has been removed before proceeding. Wait until all the children exiting the vehicle have reached a place of safety.

Also, it is important to note that school buses stop before crossing railroad tracks. If you are following a bus try to keep this in mind, and remember to slow behind them as they check to make sure that there is not a train in sight. As well, make never follow too closely behind a bus. These vehicles are prone to stop at unexpected places, or slow down. They also make wide turns, so if you are beside one in a turn lane make sure to give them a wide berth. By following all of these tips and law, you will be better equipped to follow buses on busy roads.

While these guidelines may sound obvious, children are injured and killed every year by careless or impatient drivers who try to maneuver around a stopped bus. Because of this, states have taken the responsibility to enforce bus safety. If you refuse to obey a school bus stop sign law, then you could be issued a driver's license suspension, marks on your driving record or a multi-hundred dollar fine. In Pennsylvania alone, over 1,000 men and women are issued punishments for disobeying school bus stop laws each year. Most of this time, this is because the driver does not believe that the school bus stop applies to them. If you are in a different lane, some states will allow cars to keep moving. In others, you will need to stop and wait for the children to exit the vehicle. When in doubt, always stop because it is better to be safe than sorry!