Sec. 24-127.  Stopping for school bus.

 

(a)   The driver of any motor vehicle upon meeting or overtaking, from the front or rear, any school bus on which the stop warning signal lights are flashing shall reduce the speed of such vehicle to not more than twenty-five (25) miles per hour and shall bring such vehicle to a complete stop when the school bus stop signal arm is extended and shall remain stopped until the stop arm is retracted and the school bus resumes motion or until signaled by the bus driver to proceed.  This section shall not apply to approaching traffic in the opposite direction on a dual highway divided by a median strip.

 

(b)   The driver of any school bus used for the transportation of school children, when stopping to receive or discharge pupils, shall turn on flashing stop warning signal lights at a distance of not less than three hundred (300) feet from the point where such pupils are to be received or discharged from the bus.  At the point of receiving or discharging pupils the driver shall bring the bus to a stop and extend a stop arm.  After receiving or discharging pupils, the bus driver shall turn off the flashing stop warning signal lights, retract the stop arm, and then proceed on the route.  No school bus shall stop to load or unload pupils unless there is at least four hundred (400) feet of clear vision in each direction.

 

(c)   All pupils shall be received and discharged from the right front entrance of every school bus and, if such pupils must cross a highway, the driver shall instruct such pupils to cross in front of the bus and the driver shall keep such school bus halted with stop warning signal lights flashing and the stop arm extended until such pupils have reached the opposite side of such roadway.

 

(d)   The driver of a vehicle upon a highway with separate roadways need not stop upon meeting or passing a school bus which is on a different roadway or when upon a freeway and such school bus is stopped in a loading zone which is a part of or adjacent to such highway and where pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway.

 

(e)   Every bus used for the transportation of school children shall bear upon the front and rear thereof plainly visible signs containing the words School Bus in letters not less than eight (8) inches high.

 

(f)   When a school bus is being operated upon a highway for purposes other than the actual transportation of children either to or from school, all markings thereon indicating school bus shall be covered or concealed.  The stop arms and system of alternately flashing warning signal lights shall not be operable through the usual controls.

State law reference--Similar provisions, R.R.S. 1943, 60-6,170 to 60-6,177.