You are driving behind a school bus. It stops with its red lights flashing and its stop arm extended. How far must you stop from the bus?
-
A.
Stop 100 feet away in both directions.
-
B.
Stop directly behind the bus with no minimum distance.
-
C.
Stop at least 10 feet away from the bus. Correct
-
D.
Stop at least one car length behind the bus.
The answer is "Stop at least 10 feet away from the bus."
Pennsylvania requires you to stop at least 10 feet from a school bus with red lights flashing and stop arm extended, whether you are behind it, coming toward it on the same roadway, or approaching an intersection where it is stopped. D leans on the car-length shortcut drivers use for highway following and spacing distances, but the rule here is measured in feet.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Stop 100 feet away in both directions.
The 100-foot figure belongs to other traffic rules, not to the school bus law. This answer inflates the required distance on the assumption that any rule protecting children must carry the biggest, roundest number a driver has seen on the road.
B. Stop directly behind the bus with no minimum distance.
The manual attaches a specific minimum distance to the stop. This answer carries over city bumper-to-bumper stopping habits, where drivers rarely leave a measured gap behind the vehicle ahead.
D. Stop at least one car length behind the bus.
The rule is stated in feet rather than car lengths. This answer falls back on the car-length shortcut drivers use to estimate following and spacing distances on the highway.
This question tests your knowledge of Sharing the Road in Pennsylvania. Source: Pennsylvania Driver Manual, "School Buses," p.58..
Related Pennsylvania questions
- According to the manual, why should you avoid stopping quickly right after passing a bicyclist? →
- The manual gives one exception to stopping for a school bus with red lights flashing and its stop arm extended. When does the exception apply? →
- You are following a truck at night. What does the manual tell you to do with your headlights? →
- A motorcycle ahead of you at an intersection has its turn signal flashing. What does the manual tell you to do? →
- A truck ahead of you is preparing to back into a loading area and is temporarily blocking the roadway. What does the manual tell you to do? →
You just took one Pennsylvania question apart. The book does it for the whole test.
The Pennsylvania book unlocks a free companion: an adaptive study plan, progress synced across your devices, a denser laminate cheat sheet, and a test-day walkthrough. Verify your copy once, usually in seconds; there's nothing extra to buy.
$18.99 paperback, free companion included.