What should you do if you see a school bus with its stop sign extended?

When you see a school bus with its stop sign extended, stopping your vehicle and waiting until the sign is retracted is essential for ensuring the safety of children getting on or off the bus. The extended stop sign indicates that the bus is either picking up or dropping off students, and stopping is required by law in order to protect those children.

By following this rule, you demonstrate your commitment to road safety and compliance with traffic laws intended to safeguard vulnerable pedestrians. The law stipulates that all drivers must stop when the stop sign of a school bus is extended, regardless of the direction from which they are approaching the bus, ensuring that all children have a safe passage to and from school.

In contrast, options suggesting to drive past cautiously or only stop if you are behind the bus undermine the purpose of the stop sign, which is specifically meant to safeguard children's safety. Ignoring the sign if driving in the opposite lane poses a significant risk because children might cross the street without looking for oncoming traffic. Therefore, the correct course of action is to stop and wait until the bus retracts its stop sign, creating a safer environment for everyone.