Driving Tests

Delaware School Bus, 4-Way Stop and Roundabout Rules: Who Goes First

informational·how to guide·Published September 9, 2026

When must I stop for a school bus in Delaware, and who goes first at a 4-way stop?

In Delaware, stop for a school bus that is stopped with its red lamps flashing, from the front or the rear, and stay stopped until it moves or the red lamps go off. On a road with 4 or more lanes, drivers coming from the front do not stop. At a 4-way stop, the first driver to arrive goes first; in a tie, the vehicle on the right goes first.

Where these rules come from

The school bus rules and penalties come from Delaware Code Title 21, section 4166, including the 2026 change for Red Clay School District buses (85 Del. Laws, c. 233). The right-of-way rule for two vehicles at an intersection comes from section 4131, and the stop line and left-turn rules from sections 4164 and 4132. The 4-way stop, roundabout and suspension step rules come from the Delaware Driver Manual (July 2026). The rules are as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Delaware DMV (dmv.de.gov) before you drive.

When you must stop for a school bus

When a stopped school bus shows its flashing red stop lamps, each driver who comes from the front or from the rear must stop before passing it. Stay stopped until the bus begins to move or the red lamps go off. The rule applies on highways and everywhere else in Delaware.
The red lamps come on only when the bus is stopped to pick up or let off pupils, never while it moves. Wait until the red lights stop flashing and the stop arm is pulled in, then go with care. A practice question about a bus across a four-lane road tests the one exception in the table below.

Who stops for a school bus on roads with 4 or more lanes

Who stops for a school bus on roads with 4 or more lanes
Road	Driver who comes toward the bus	Driver behind the bus
Fewer than 4 lanes	Must stop	Must stop
4 or more lanes	Does not stop, but goes slowly	Must stop

Amber lights and the 2026 Red Clay change

Amber warning lamps come on about 10 seconds before the red stop lamps. They tell you that the bus is getting ready to stop.
A law approved on January 30, 2026 changed this for one district. Red Clay School District buses that have and use stop arm cameras do not have to show the amber lamps first, so such a bus can go straight to red lamps. Do not wait for amber: a stopped bus with its red lamps on means stop.

Penalty for passing a stopped school bus

Penalty for passing a stopped school bus
Item	Rule
First offense	Fine of $115 to $230, or 30 to 60 days in jail, or both
Each later offense within 3 years	Fine of $115 to $575 and 60 days to 6 months in jail
Minimum fine	The court cannot suspend it
License or driving privilege (law)	Suspension of 1 month to 1 year
Suspension steps in the Manual	1 month for a first offense, 6 months for a second, 1 year for a third or later within 3 years

Driving after a school bus suspension

There is no driving at all during the 1-month suspension for a first offense. The law allows a conditional license under state regulations. According to the Manual, a conditional license is possible after 3 months with no driving for a second offense, and after 6 months with no driving for a third or later offense. The Delaware move-over law is another rule about stopped vehicles on the road.

How to take your turn at a 4-way stop

1
Stop at the right place
Stop at the marked stop line. If there is no line, stop before the crosswalk on the near side. If there is no crosswalk, stop at the point nearest the crossing road where you can see approaching traffic.
2
Find who arrived first
The driver who reaches the intersection first goes first, after a complete stop. The all-way stop question tests this rule.
3
Use the right-hand rule for a tie
If more than one vehicle arrives at the same time, the vehicle on the right goes first.
4
Check the intersection before you go
Yield to any vehicle or pedestrian in the intersection, or on another road so close that it is an immediate hazard. Look for bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles. Go only when it is safe.
5
Yield when you turn left
A driver who turns left yields to a vehicle from the opposite direction that is so close as to be an immediate hazard. Oncoming vehicles that go straight ahead have priority.

Intersections without a stop sign

At an intersection with no stop sign, yield sign or traffic signal, yield to vehicles that come from the right. It is safest to be ready to yield to all vehicles before you enter. Delaware law also says that when 2 vehicles enter from different highways at about the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Always yield to a vehicle that is already in the intersection. Different rules apply at through highways. Do not enter an intersection unless you can get through it without stopping.

How to use a roundabout

According to the Delaware Driver Manual, a roundabout moves traffic counterclockwise around a central island.
1. Approach: stay to the right of the splitter island and slow down to 10 to 15 mph.
2. Yield: let bicyclists merge into the entry lane, yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk and yield to traffic already in the roundabout. The question about entering a roundabout covers this step.
3. Drive: keep to the right of the central island at a slow speed. Do not pass, and stop only to avoid a collision. You have the right-of-way over entering traffic.
4. Exit: watch for and yield to pedestrians and bicyclists.

Which lane to use before a roundabout

You will turn right

Use the right approach lane.

You will turn left or make a U-turn

Use the left approach lane.

You will go straight

Any approach lane is fine.

Key Takeaways

Stop for a stopped school bus with its red lamps on, from the front and the rear, until it moves or the lamps go off. On a road with 4 or more lanes, only the traffic behind the bus stops.
Red Clay School District buses with stop arm cameras can show red lamps with no amber warning first.
A first offense for passing a stopped school bus brings a fine of $115 to $230, 30 to 60 days in jail, or both, plus a suspension of 1 month to 1 year.
At a 4-way stop, the first driver to arrive goes first; in a tie, the vehicle on the right goes first. In a roundabout, yield to traffic already in it.
Next step: practice these rules on the free Delaware Class D practice test.

School bus, 4-way stop and roundabout questions

Do I stop for a school bus at a traffic light or in a school loading zone?

A school bus may not turn on its amber or red lamps in a designated school bus loading zone, or at an intersection where traffic signals or a police officer control traffic. The stop rule is for a bus that is stopped with its flashing lamps on. At those places, obey the signal or the officer and drive with care.

Do I have to stop for a school bus that shows only amber lights?

Slow down and get ready to stop. Amber lamps mean the bus is about to stop, and children may be waiting at the stop or running to board it. When the bus is stopped with its red lamps on, you must stop, from the front or the rear, unless you come from the front on a road with 4 or more lanes.

Can the owner of a car get the school bus ticket if someone else drove?

Yes, it can happen. If a police officer, school bus driver or school crossing guard sees the violation and the driver is not otherwise known, the law presumes that the registered owner of the vehicle committed it. The presumption is rebuttable, so the owner can challenge it.

What if nobody is sure who arrived first at a 4-way stop?

Let the other driver go. Delaware traffic law does not give anyone the right-of-way; it only says who must yield. If yielding can prevent a crash, yield, even when the other driver was the one who should wait. Then go only when the intersection is clear and you can get through it without stopping.

Is a roundabout the same as a traffic circle?

Not exactly. A modern roundabout is designed to calm traffic, so drivers slow down as they go through, and it reduces the need for direct left turns, a major cause of intersection crashes. The basic rule is the same in both: drivers who enter a traffic circle, rotary or roundabout yield to drivers already in it.