(A) The driver of a vehicle meeting or overtaking a school bus that is stopped to take on or discharge school children, and on which the red loading signals are in operation, is to stop the vehicle before it reaches the school bus and not proceed until the loading signals are deactivated and then proceed past such school bus at a speed which is reasonable and with due caution for the safety of such school children and other occupants. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this subsection (A) shall be punished by a fine of not less than $100.
(B) Visual signals meeting the requirements of 47 O.C. § 12-228 shall be actuated by the driver of said school bus whenever, but only whenever, such vehicle is stopped on the highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children.
(C) 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 controlled-access highway and the 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.
(D) If the driver of a school bus witnesses a violation of the provisions of subsection (A) above of this section, within 24 hours of the alleged offense, the driver shall report the violation, the vehicle color, license tag number, and the time and place such violation occurred to the law enforcement authority of the municipality where the violation occurred. The law enforcement authority of a municipality shall issue a letter of warning on the alleged violation to the person in whose name the vehicle is registered. The office of the Attorney General shall provide a form letter to each municipal law enforcement agency in this state for the issuance of the warning provided for in this subsection (D). Such form letter shall be used by each such law enforcement agency in the exact form provided for by the office of the Attorney General. A warning letter issued pursuant to this subsection (D) shall not be recorded on the driving record of the person to whom such letter was issued. Issuance of a warning letter pursuant to this section shall not preclude the imposition of other penalties as provided by law.
(Prior Code, § 42-159)
Statutory reference:
Meeting or overtaking stopped school bus, see 47 O.S. § 11-705