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School Bus Stop Law |
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School Bus Safety Rules for Motorists Getting On and Off the Bus Safely
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(effective Aug. 1, 2003) Synopsis: South Carolina law requires motorists to stop for a stopped school bus in certain situations. You must always stop when you are traveling behind a bus with its flashing amber or red lights actuated. When you are approaching a stopped school bus with flashing red lights from the opposite direction, you must stop if you are on a two-lane road. If you are on a four-lane (or more) highway or private road and meet a stopped school bus, you do not have to stop. However, you should slow down and pass with caution. After stopping for a stopped school bus, you must not proceed until the bus resumes motion or the flashing red lights have been turned off. The penalty for passing a stopped school bus is up to a $1000 fine or up to 30 days in jail for a first offense and six points to your driving record. A school bus route that includes stops on four-lane (or more) highways or private roads must be designed so that students are not required to cross the multi-lane roadway. Actual text: SECTION 56-5-2770. Signals and markings on school buses; meeting, overtaking and passing school bus. (A) The driver of a vehicle meeting or overtaking from either direction a school bus stopped on a highway or private road must stop before reaching the bus where there are in operation on the bus flashing red lights specified in State Department of Education Regulations and Specifications Pertaining to School Buses, and the driver must not proceed until the bus resumes motion or the flashing red lights are no longer actuated. (B) The driver of a vehicle need not stop upon meeting a stopped school bus when traveling in the opposite direction on a multi-lane highway or multi-lane private road. (C) The driver of a vehicle must not overtake a school bus which has amber visual signals actuated. (D) A school bus must be equipped with red and amber visual signals meeting the requirements of State Department of Education Regulations and Specifications Pertaining to School Buses, which must be actuated by the driver whenever the bus is stopped or preparing to stop on the highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children. A driver must not actuate the special visual signals when the bus is in designated school bus loading or off-loading areas if the bus is off the roadway entirely. (E) A school bus must bear upon its front and rear plainly visible signs containing the words 'SCHOOL BUS' in black letters not less than eight inches in height. (F) A school bus route that requires passengers to be loaded or off-loaded along a multi-lane highway or multi-lane private road must be designed to ensure that a student is not required to cross a multi-lane highway or multi-lane private road. (G) For the purposes of this section a multi-lane highway or multi-lane private road is a highway or private road that consists of four or more traffic lanes, having at least two traffic lanes traveling in each direction. SECTION 56-5-2780. Penalties for unlawfully passing a stopped school bus. (A) A driver of a vehicle violating Section 56-5-2770 (A) or (C) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or forfeiture of bail for a first offense must be fined not less than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days. In lieu of imprisonment, the court may require that the individual complete an appropriate term of community service of not fewer than ten days upon terms and conditions the court considers proper. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a first offense for a violation of Section 56-5-2770 (A) or (C) may be tried in magistrate's court. Upon conviction, entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or forfeiture of bail for a second or subsequent violation of Section 56-5-2770 (A) or (C), a person is guilty of a misdemeanor and must be fined not less than two thousand dollars or more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not fewer than thirty days and not more than sixty days. (B) If a driver of a vehicle violates Section 56-5-2770 (A) or (C), and the violation proximately causes great bodily injury or death to a pedestrian, the person is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or forfeiture of bond, the person must be: (1) fined not less than five thousand dollars or more than ten thousand dollars and imprisoned for not less than sixty days or more than one year when great bodily injury results; (2) fined not less than ten thousand dollars or more than twenty-five thousand dollars and imprisoned for not less than one year or more than five years when death results. As used in this subsection, 'great bodily injury' means bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ. The department shall suspend the driver's license of a person who is convicted or who receives a sentence upon a plea of guilty or nolo contendere pursuant to this subsection for the term of imprisonment plus one year.
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