Well that was quick! Fall colors have begun to appear throughout the greater Bozeman area—one of those being the vibrant yellow of the school bus.
That’s right, class is back in session in Southwest Montana. With the annual school schedule now active and increased traffic on our streets, it’s a good idea to get a bit of a refresher on driver’s safety and traffic laws (per the official Montana Driver Manual and Montana Code Annotated) so we can keep our kids safe this and every school year!
A school zone is an area near a school beginning at the school’s front door, encompassing the campus and school property, and including the streets directly adjacent to the school property and for as many blocks surrounding the school as determined by the local authority establishing a special speed limit (15 MPH) {See MCA 61-1-101(68)}.
Drivers must always yield to pedestrians in school crosswalks. There may or may not be school crossing guards to assist with safe pedestrian crossing. Drivers should stop before crosswalks so other drivers can also see pedestrians.
Drivers can’t drive through a column of school children crossing a roadway, or past a school crossing guard while the crossing guard is directing the movement of children across a roadway and while the crossing guard is holding an official sign in the stop position (See MCA 61-8-502).
School speed limit signs indicate posted speeds or where reduced speeds have been authorized by local authorities. Watch for signs, markings, and/or flashing lights as indicators of speed limit changes (15 MPH) {See MCA 61-8-310(1)(d)}. Montana law enforces a strict policy on speed violations in or near school zones. Fines are doubled in all school zones throughout Montana.
These laws are not limited to school zones!
Drivers are required to adhere to traffic laws
at sometimes unexpected places on public
roadways. Let’s talk right of way in and outside of school zones. Every child is a human caution sign and as unpredictable as Montana’s weather. Upon meeting or passing from either direction any school bus stopped with its red lights flashing, the driver of a vehicle must stop at least 30 feet from the bus and cannot proceed until the red lights are turned off. If you approach a bus from either direction that is slowing down in preparation to stop to load passengers, or a bus displaying a yellow flashing light, you must slow down and proceed carefully. Keep in mind that the bus is about to stop and children may be in the road.
You do not need to stop if meeting or passing a school bus that is on a different road or is stopped in an adjacent loading zone where pedestrians are not allowed to cross the road. First Student is responsible for getting our area’s children to and from school safely.
Though we’re beginning to see the bright yellow fleet take to the streets, the local charter is looking to expand the team and is NOW HIRING school bus drivers. For more details, call (406) 556-8039 or check out www.firstcharterbus.com/.
For futher information about Montana traffic laws and to download your copy of the current Montana Driver Manual—including diagrams, please visit www.dojmt.gov/driving/. •
