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Here’s what to do when you’re behind an Ann Arbor school bus

If a school bus stops, so should you

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Ann Arbor police are cracking down on drivers who disobey traffic laws by not stopping for school buses.

On social media, traffic officials called out drivers who refuse to stop and warned about an increase in tickets.

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“Our traffic officers have been getting an uptick in school bus violation complaints in recent weeks,” they wrote.

Many of these complaints have come from Ann Arbor’s northside neighborhoods around Green and Nixon roads and Traver Boulevard.

Police reminded drivers to stop at least 20 feet away from the stopped bus, especially when it has red flashing lights.

The problem is so bad that it made a Local 4 newscast:

Not sure if you need to stop? Here are some scenarios and what you need to do:

Two lane road

  • When driving on a two-lane road, cars behind and opposite a stopped bus with flashing red lights need to stop.

Multiple lanes with pavement between both directions of traffic

  • If drivers are on a multi-lane road with flat pavement between both directions, all drivers behind and facing a school bus with flashing lights must stop.

Divided highway

  • Drivers behind buses with flashing lights must stop when on a highway or roadway divided by a raised median, barrier, or five feet of unpaved space. Drivers facing the bus, on the opposite side of the highway, may continue but with caution.

Here’s a visual posted by the police department:


About the Author
Sarah Parlette headshot

Sarah has worked for WDIV since June 2018. She covers community events, good eats and small businesses in Ann Arbor and has a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics from Grand Valley State University.

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