AB 187

Current law generally requires the driver of a vehicle approaching a school bus

that is stopped on a highway and that is displaying flashing red lights to stop the

vehicle not less than 20 feet from the bus and to remain stopped until the bus

resumes motion or the school bus driver turns off the flashing red lights. Current

law also requires, with certain exceptions, a school bus driver to activate flashing red

lights at least 100 feet before stopping to load or unload pupils or other authorized

passengers (passengers); these lights must remain activated until loading or

unloading is completed and until any person who must cross the highway is safely

across. Under one exception, the school bus driver may not activate the flashing red

lights when loading or unloading in a special loading area where the bus is entirely

off the traveled portion of the highway. Under another exception, the school bus

driver may not activate the flashing red lights when loading or unloading in a

residence or business district where a sidewalk and curb are laid on both sides of the

road, unless there is no traffic signal where the loading or unloading occurs, the

person being loaded or unloaded must cross the highway, and a local ordinance

authorizes the use of warning lights under these circumstances. However, if a curb

and sidewalk are laid on one side of the road only, the school bus driver must activate

the flashing red lights.

Under this bill, a school bus stopped to load or unload passengers must display

flashing red lights, regardless of whether the school bus is on or off the traveled

portion of a highway. The bill also allows a school bus driver to stop to load or unload

passengers on a highway's right-hand shoulder, entirely off the traveled portion of

the highway, if weather and shoulder conditions allow the stop to be made with

reasonable safety.

This bill also prohibits a person from operating a school bus if any child is seated

in a seating position in the rearmost two rows of the school bus, unless all seating

positions except those in the rearmost two rows are occupied. A person who violates

this prohibition may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $40 for

the first offense and not less than $50 nor more than $100 for the second or

subsequent conviction within one year.