Louisiana’s School Bus Rules: When to Stop (and When Not to)

(Lafayette, Louisiana) - As students across Louisiana return to school, plenty of school buses will return to local roadways. Drivers will have to start paying more attention to their surroundings to keep the kids safe.

Do we have to stop for a bus? When do we have to stop for a bus? What do we need to know so we won't get into trouble?

Local attorney Richard Kennedy wrote about this time of year and what we need to know. One of the things that stood out is that our kids are very safe. He writes,

"School buses are the safest vehicles on the road, and one of the safest modes of transportation overall. Children are much safer traveling in school buses than in any other vehicle..."

When do I have to stop for a school bus on a road in Louisiana? 

This question is one we receive countless times during a typical school year. In the last few years, things have changed slightly, and that has led to some confusion.

Local attorney Richard Kennedy breaks down what you need to know to answer this question. It's just as important to know what to do as it is what you don't have to do.

Kennedy points out that when a school bus is approaching a stop for students you will see the yellow lights come on when the bus is between 100 and 500 feet before the stop. As soon as it stops, the red lights begin flashing and the stop signs on the bus come out.

In the graphic below, it is an example of when you do have to stop for a bus:

When Do I Have to Stop for a School Bus?

• Anytime you are behind a school bus in traffic you must stop.
• Anytime you are on a single-lane highway behind or opposite a school bus you must stop.
• Anytime you are on a four-lane highway where there is nothing in the middle of the road like a continuous turn lane, ditch, or grassy median you must stop for the school bus.

When Do I Not Have to Stop for a School Bus in Louisiana?

• Drivers are not required to stop for a school bus when traveling on four-lane or five-lane roadways which are separated by a dedicated two-way left turn lane.

The graphic below shows when to stop and when you don't have to. On the left, when there is nothing dividing the road, you must stop. On the right, because there is green space, which is a divider, you don't have to stop when you are in the opposite lanes of traffic: