Cars in both directions must stop for a stopped bus on a two-lane road, even if the lanes have a center turn lane in between. On a four-lane road, only traffic following the bus must stop. A bus is considered stopped when it has signal lights on and a stop arm extended.
Kentucky traffic laws are in place to protect all travelers. One of their most important functions is to protect motorists and pedestrians from each other. That applies to the important duty of School Bus Drivers to pick up and drop children off in a safe environment. Knowing the statutes governing traffic around stopped school buses can be knowledge that prevents a tragic school bus-related accident.
Kentucky Traffic Statutes Regarding School Buses
Kentucky law gives special consideration to school buses and church buses transporting children. Children are especially vulnerable as they board and unload along streets and highways. Their safety is often in the hands of local drivers who should be at a complete stop to allow children to enter or exit a school bus and get safely to a driveway or sidewalk.
When drivers don’t stop for a stopped school bus, they break the law and put children’s lives at risk.
Kentucky Vehicle Statute 189.370 explains the law this way:
“Passing stopped school or church bus prohibited — Application to properly marked vehicles — Rebuttable presumption as to identity of violator. (1) If any school or church bus used in the transportation of children is stopped upon a highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging passengers, with the stop arm and signal lights activated, the operator of a vehicle approaching from any direction shall bring his vehicle to a stop and shall not proceed until the bus has completed receiving or discharging passengers and has been put into motion. The stop requirement provided for in this section shall not apply to vehicles approaching a stopped bus from the opposite direction upon a highway of four (4) or more lanes”
Unfortunately, careless drivers put children’s lives at risk each day on Kentucky roads. A study of only a small percentage of buses during a single month in 2018 delivered some shocking results. The Kentucky School Boards Association reported that observers on 2,667 Kentucky school buses recorded 728 illegal passes during an April survey.
In Lexington and across Fayette County, 283 buses were monitored and 201 drivers were spotted illegally passing them.
What Highways Can I Pass a Stopped School Bus On?
For an easier way to stay informed of the correct behavior around a Kentucky school bus, The Kentucky Department of Education released a graphic to explain the law.
The law basically says that drivers on two-lane roads must stop in both directions when they see a stopped school bus. Only drivers on the same side of the road as a stopped school bus would need to stop on a four-lane road.
Here’s a more detailed description of all the traffic situations involving a school bus Kentucky motorist may encounter.
- Two-Lane Road – A school bus stopped on a regular two-lane Kentucky road means that cars in both directions of traffic must stop.
- Two-Lane Road with Center Turn Lane – A school bus stopped on a two-lane Kentucky road with a center turn lane means that both directions of traffic must stop.
- Four Lane Road with No Center Median – Only the traffic on the same side of the road as the stopped bus must stop.
- Four Lane Divided Highway (Median in Center) — Only the traffic on the same side of the road as the stopped bus must stop.
- Four Lane Road with Center Turn Lane — Only the traffic on the same side of the road as the stopped bus must stop.
Remember, when in doubt, slow down and be ready to stop. It’s a “duty of care” drivers must show pedestrians at all times. It’s especially critical that children receive this caution because they can be unpredictable and difficult to see.
As a driver, always be ready to hit the brakes if you see a school bus, even if it doesn’t have its lights on or a stop sign out.
What Is The Punishment for School Bus Stop Violators in Kentucky?
People who pass stopped school buses can be hit with a big fine and even wind up spending time in jail. A ticket for passing a school bus illegally will start at around $200 dollars. Some offenders could also face up to two months in jail.
However, experts say that prosecuting offenders is difficult and that police departments don’t always take the time to pursue reports of reckless drivers. The focus is on awareness. When every driver is educated about their responsibilities around a stopped bus, children will have a much greater chance of getting to school and getting back to a bus stop safely.
What to Do After a Kentucky School Bus Accident
If your child has been injured in a school bus-related incident and a careless driver is to blame, contact a Louisville bus injury attorney to schedule a free and confidential consultation. We help victimize families in Lexington and across the entire state.
Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, protects children after accidents and we get aggressive to make sure young victims receive everything they’ll need to fully recover from an injury. If you need our help to earn more for your child in an injury claim, you won’t need to worry about how you’ll pay a lawyer. Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, doesn’t get paid unless we win your case for your family. Then our fee comes out of the settlement money a car insurance company is forced to pay you.
