Sharing the Road With School Buses, Bicyclists and Trucks
Safe habits around buses, bikes, motorcycles and trucks, and what knowledge tests ask about them.
Key takeaways
- Stop for a school bus with red lights flashing, unless your state's divided highway exception applies.
- Give bicyclists room, and check your blind spot before turning.
- Stay out of a truck's blind spots, sometimes called No-Zones.
School buses
Flashing amber lights warn that a bus is about to stop. Flashing red lights mean you must stop. On an undivided road, that applies to traffic in both directions. On a divided highway with a physical median, traffic on the far side may not need to stop, and the exact rule varies by state.
Bicyclists
Bicyclists have the same right to the road as other vehicles. Many states set a minimum passing distance, often three feet, so check yours. Look for riders before you turn right or open your door, and never squeeze past in the same lane.
Motorcyclists
Motorcycles are smaller than they look, and they are easy to lose in a blind spot. Give them a full lane, keep a longer following distance and check twice before you change lanes or pull out.
Large trucks and buses
Trucks have large blind spots on both sides and behind. If you cannot see the driver in the mirror, the driver cannot see you. Trucks also need extra room to turn, and they may swing wide before turning. Do not squeeze in beside a turning truck.
Emergency vehicles
Pull over to the right and stop when an emergency vehicle approaches with lights and siren. Every state has some form of move-over law, which asks you to change lanes or slow down for stopped emergency vehicles on the roadside.
Pedestrians
A pedestrian in a crosswalk has the right-of-way. Stop, wait until the crosswalk is clear and never pass a car that has stopped for someone. The person may be hidden from your view.
Habits that keep you out of trouble
Check your mirrors and blind spot before every lane change and turn. Increase your following distance around trucks, motorcycles and buses. Put your phone away, slow down in school zones and neighborhoods, and expect the unexpected near parked cars and driveways.
Test questions in this area are about caution. If one answer is patient and another is quick, the patient one is usually right.
A note on state differences
Passing distances for bicyclists, school bus rules on divided highways and move-over requirements vary by state. Read the section in your driver handbook and take the state’s practice quizzes to check the numbers.
Next steps
The bottom line: patience, space and a second look. Those three habits answer most questions in this area. Take the safe driving quizzes for your state, starting on the DMV practice test by state page.
Frequently asked questions
How far behind an emergency vehicle should I stay?
Distances vary by state. Some states set 300 feet. Check your driver handbook.
Do I stop for a school bus on the other side of a divided highway?
It depends on whether a physical median separates the lanes. Read your state's rule.
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