prohibits a driver from passing a stopped school bus when the flashing red lights are displayed and/or a stop signal arm is visible.
The driver must wait until the red lights and/or the stop signal arm is not displayed before proceeding. Drivers approaching from the opposite direction on a two-lane road must stop in the same manner as drivers following the bus.
If the road has two or more lanes traveling in the same direction, a driver traveling in the opposite direction of the school bus is not required to stop pursuant to § 22454(b)(1) and (2). Drivers should use caution when approaching a bus as children could run out into traffic regardless of the traffic laws.
Because California takes the matter of school bus violations seriously, a school bus driver can report any driver who violates this code section to the law enforcement agency without 24 hours of the violation. The violation will result in a warning letter being issued to the driver. If you receive a ticket for violating CVC § 22454, you could face a fine of up to $695 and one point on your driver’s license.