Make sure you do not pass school buses with the stop sign out and flashing lights.
It is now officially illegal in the state of California to pass a school bus while flashing red lights and stop signs are up. The state has passed a new law that increases penalties for drivers who ignore the stop signals on buses and pass the bus.
In San Bernardino, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will be boarding school buses on September 9, 2019, and targeting motorists who illegally pass stopped school buses.
The penalty for passing a school bus while boarding/unboarding passengers is steep: a fine of $1,000 for a first offense and possible suspension of driving privileges can be applied.
The upcoming “No Pass” operation by the California Highway Patrol will involve CHP officers aboard school buses in San Bernardino to observe when vehicles pass when the buses are stopped and signaling with flashing red lights or a stop sign. Officers aboard the buses will then call and report the drivers to officers in the area in patrol cars.
Drivers in both directions MUST stop when a school bus is signaling except when the road is divided or is a multi-lane highway.