Fine is up to $460

ORANGE - The Police Department is reminding motorists of the law that requires them to stop for school buses when passengers are entering or exiting the bus.


When a school bus is displaying flashing red signal lights, state statute requires that motorists come to a complete stop at least 10 feet away when approaching from either direction, police said.

This includes multi-lane roads such as the Boston Post Road, where there is no physical barrier separating the two directions of travel. Some recent concerns have been raised to the department about whether motorist understand the law, police said.

Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm mean the bus has stopped and children are boarding or exiting the bus, police said.

“We would like to ensure that motorists traveling through town, and in the surrounding area, are educated about the law’s requirements,” Assistant Police Chief Edward Koether said. “Our goal is to help keep children safe, and to hopefully prevent an avoidable tragedy.

“Passing a school bus in violation of the law is subject to a fine of $460. With the weather starting to warm up, police want motorists to be especially attentive to children in neighborhoods, and the department will be directing its efforts towards enforcement of violations,” he said.