By admin 
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — As students across North Carolina head back to school, safety experts are urging drivers to remain vigilant around school buses.
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Attorney Donald Clack from The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin emphasized the importance of understanding and obeying school bus signals during a recent interview.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Clack stated.
Clack highlighted that the most dangerous moments for children happen when they are getting on or off the bus, particularly when crossing the road. Drivers are advised to be watchful for school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop arms extended.
In North Carolina, the law is clear: if a school bus has its red lights on and its stop arm extended, all drivers from either direction must come to a complete stop — unless a physical median separates the opposing lanes.
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On roads with a median or four-lane roads with a center turn lane, opposing traffic is not required to stop.
Clack reiterated the seriousness of passing a stopped school bus, calling it not only a legal offense — punishable by hefty fines and points on a driver’s license — but also a significant safety risk to children.
“When you see a bus slowing down, you should also slow down and be prepared to stop,” he said.
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