346.48 Vehicles to stop for school buses displaying flashing lights.

(1) The operator of a vehicle which approaches from the front or rear any school bus which has stopped on a street or highway when the bus is equipped according to s. 347.25 (2) and when it is displaying flashing red warning lights, shall stop the vehicle not less than 20 feet from the bus and shall remain stopped until the bus resumes motion or the operator extinguishes the flashing red warning lights. The operator of any school bus which approaches from the front or rear any school bus which has stopped and is displaying flashing red warning lights shall display its flashing red lights while stopped. This subsection does not apply to operators of vehicles proceeding in the opposite direction on a divided highway.

(2)

(a)

1. Except as provided in par. (b), the operator of a school bus equipped with only flashing red warning lights as specified in s. 347.25 (2) shall actuate the lights at least 100 feet before stopping to load or unload pupils or other authorized passengers, and shall not extinguish the lights until loading or unloading is completed and persons who must cross the highway are safely across.

2. Except as provided in par. (b), the operator of a school bus equipped with flashing red and amber warning lights as specified in s. 347.25 (2) shall do all of the following when stopping to load or unload pupils or other authorized passengers:

a. Actuate the flashing amber warning lights at least 300 feet before stopping in a 45 miles per hour or greater speed zone or at least 100 feet before stopping in a less than 45 mile per hour speed zone.

b. At the point of loading or unloading, bring the bus to a stop, extinguish the flashing amber warning lights, and actuate the flashing red warning lights.

c. After loading or unloading is completed and persons who must cross the highway are safely across, extinguish the flashing red warning lights.

3. Where the curb and sidewalk are laid on one side of the road only, the operator shall use the flashing red or flashing red and amber warning lights when loading or unloading passengers from either side.

(b) School bus operators shall not use the flashing red or amber warning lights in:

1. Special school bus loading areas where the bus is entirely off the traveled portion of the highway.

2. Residence or business districts when pupils or other authorized passengers are to be loaded or unloaded where a sidewalk and curb are laid on both sides of the road, unless required otherwise by municipal ordinance enacted under s. 349.21 (1).

(bm) Except as provided in par. (b) 2. or unless prohibited by municipal ordinance enacted under s. 349.21 (2), a school bus operator shall use the flashing red or amber warning lights as provided in par. (a) in a zone designated by “school" warning signs as provided in s. 118.08 (1) in which a street or highway borders the grounds of a school when pupils or other authorized passengers are loaded or unloaded directly from or onto the school grounds or that portion of the right-of-way between the roadway and the school grounds.

(c) When a school bus is being used on a highway for purposes other than those specified in s. 340.01 (56) (a) and (am), the flashing red or amber warning lights shall not be used, and all markings on the front and rear of the bus indicating it is a school bus shall be removed or completely concealed; except that any time a motor vehicle is equipped as provided under ss. 347.25 (2) and 347.44 and is transporting children for any purpose, the school bus markings may remain unconcealed and the flashing red or amber warning lights may be used as provided in this section and when so used, sub. (1) applies to operators of other motor vehicles.

(3) If the operator of a motor vehicle overtakes a school bus which is stopped and is loading or unloading pupils or other authorized passengers at an intersection on the right side of a roadway in a business or residence district in which the display of the flashing red or amber warning lights on the school bus is not permitted, the operator shall pass at a safe distance to the left of the school bus and shall not turn to the right in front of the school bus at that intersection.

History: 1973 c. 93; 1975 c. 18, 120, 429; 1985 a. 287, 301; 1987 a. 125; 2013 a. 96.

Cross-reference: See s. 349.21, which authorizes towns, cities, villages, and counties to provide for the use of flashing red lights by school buses in certain residential or business districts.