School bus law question (home, high school, buses)

[texas7]

Okay, so when I learned to drive - the law was traffic in both directions stopped for a stopped school bus and that include 4 lane streets with an esplanade. Today I was driving down a busy street - grassy esplanade in center, two lanes on each side and a school bus was stopped letting kids off on the lanes going in the opposite direction I was going and of course that traffic was stopped on that side. 7-10 cars on my side continued going and didn't even slow down. The car next to me stopped, as did I. Does anyone know the actual law in this scenario? Perhaps the law has changed? Or perhaps more people are just clueless and inconsiderate?

[TexasCatherine]

From DPS: A driver does not have to stop for a school bus if it is on a highway with roadways separated by an intervening space or physical barrier. (If a highway is divided only by a left-turning lane, the roadways are not separated, and drivers must stop for school buses.)

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by TexasCatherine

From DPS: A driver does not have to stop for a school bus if it is on a highway with roadways separated by an intervening space or physical barrier. (If a highway is divided only by a left-turning lane, the roadways are not separated, and drivers must stop for school buses.)

Absolutely correct! If the OP would like the simple reference it is http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/directo...n/pr082108.pdf .

[texas7]

thx for the info

[swsmith]

When I taught high school drivers' education in the 1980s, the state-issued handbook clearly said that, after making a complete stop, if there were no pedestrians present, the motorist may proceed at a speed not exceeding 5 mph. The reason it caught my attention was that I did not know that and suspected that most people did not.

I see that Sec. 545.066. was amended in 1997 to state that one may no longer do this. We have a school bus that has to load a severely handicapped child from her home and is frequently stopped for up to ten minutes with an empty bus. It seems like some way to proceed slowly and carefully would be a good idea.

[EZR15]

I wished drivers would pick students up on time every day like they should. They need to do something about students waiting too long for a bus.

[Texas Ag 93]

I've long known the law to be that you don't have to stop and have always proceeded accordingly, but have tried to be very alert for kids and drive defensively, knowing that many people would, in fact, stop. If by chance someone in front of me stops, I usually just stay put, as opposed to whipping around them or honking or any other such jerky action.