What does it mean if a school bus has its stop sign extended?

When a school bus has its stop sign extended, it signifies that all vehicles in both directions are required to come to a complete stop. This regulation is established to ensure the safety of children boarding or disembarking the bus. The extended stop sign serves as a clear warning that children may be crossing the street, and it is not only dangerous but illegal to pass a stopped school bus when its stop sign is extended.

Drivers must remain stopped until the stop sign is retracted and the bus begins moving again. This rule applies regardless of whether you are traveling behind the bus or approaching it from the opposite direction, reinforcing the importance of safety measures in designated school zones. Students are often unpredictable, and this law is crucial in protecting their safety as they navigate around school buses.

The other choices do not accurately represent the legal requirements surrounding a stopped school bus, emphasizing why the correct understanding of these signals is critical for all drivers.