A school bus stops on a two-lane road to pick up children. What must other traffic do?
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A.
All traffic from both directions must stop Correct
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B.
Only traffic behind the bus must stop
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C.
Oncoming traffic may pass at a reduced speed
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D.
Traffic in the far lane may continue if a turn lane separates them
The answer is "All traffic from both directions must stop"
On a two-lane road, every vehicle in both directions must stop when the school bus is loading or unloading, and stay stopped until the red lights go off and the bus starts moving again. Drivers who reach for the 'far lane may continue' trap are carrying over the divided-highway rule, where a physical median lets oncoming traffic keep going, and misapplying it to a two-lane road with no median.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. Only traffic behind the bus must stop
The two-lane rule stops traffic in both directions, not just the vehicles following the bus. This answer applies the divided-highway rule to a two-lane road, treating opposing traffic as if a median separated it from the bus.
C. Oncoming traffic may pass at a reduced speed
Nothing in the two-lane school bus rule allows oncoming traffic to keep moving, whatever the speed. This answer substitutes a school-zone speed reduction for a full stop, mixing two separate rules that appear near each other in the chapter.
D. Traffic in the far lane may continue if a turn lane separates them
A center turn lane does not count as a divider under the two-lane rule; both directions must still stop. This answer treats a painted center turn lane like a physical median, borrowing the divided-highway exception that does not apply here.
This question tests your knowledge of Sharing the Road in North Carolina. Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, "School Buses, Two-lane roadway," p.47..
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