Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy (NVCJA) Practice Exam

What must a bus have for someone not to pass it while it is stopped?

1. Flashing lights only

2. Stop sign, lights, and allowing kids off

3. A driver’s signal

4. Road blocks

The correct answer is: Stop sign, lights, and allowing kids off

A school bus must have a stop sign, flashing lights, and should be in the process of allowing children off for vehicles to be prohibited from passing it. The stop sign deployed from the side of the bus is a clear signal to drivers that they must stop their vehicles when children are getting on or off. The flashing lights serve as a visual warning indicating that the bus is stopped for this purpose. This combination is crucial for ensuring the safety of children as they enter or exit the bus. While flashing lights alone may alert drivers, the stop sign provides a definitive instruction that vehicles must stop. A driver’s signal alone does not provide sufficient warning to other vehicles, and road blocks are not practical as a regular safety measure for school buses. Thus, for the protection of children, all three components together — the stop sign, the flashing lights, and the presence of children getting on or off — work in unison to ensure the safety of young passengers, creating a legitimate requirement for drivers to stop.