Driving Tests

Georgia School Bus Laws: When to Stop, Divided Roads and Penalties

informational·how to guide·Published August 28, 2026

When must you stop for a school bus in Georgia?

In Georgia, you must stop for a stopped school bus with flashing red lights and its stop arm out, whether you meet it or come up behind it. Oncoming traffic need not stop where a grass median, unpaved area or physical barrier separates the roadways. Stay stopped until the bus moves, or its signals go off and the children are clear. A conviction adds 6 points.

Where the Georgia school bus facts come from

The stop rule, the 6 points and the 15-point limit come from the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) school bus reminder of July 29, 2026. The lights, the road types and the under-21 suspension come from the DDS Drivers Manual, the DDS points schedule and the DDS list of suspension offenses. The penalties and the camera rule come from House Bill 409 of 2024, known as Addy's Law. The divided highway rule comes from Senate Bill 25 of 2019. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Georgia Department of Driver Services (dds.georgia.gov) before you drive.

What do flashing yellow and red lights on a school bus mean?

Flashing yellow (amber) lights on the front and rear of the bus mean that the bus is getting ready to stop to load or unload children. When you see them, slow down and be ready to stop.
When the lights turn red and the stop sign swings out from the side of the bus, it is unlawful to pass the bus while it loads or unloads. Stop before you reach the bus.

Who must stop for a school bus on each type of Georgia road?

Who must stop for a school bus on each type of Georgia road?
Type of road	Who must stop for the bus
Two-lane road	Traffic from both directions
Two-lane road with a center turning lane	Traffic from both directions
Four-lane road with no median	Traffic from both directions
Road of four lanes or more with a center turning lane	Traffic from both directions
Divided highway with a grass median, unpaved area or physical barrier	Only traffic that follows the bus or drives alongside it in the same direction

Do you stop on the other side of a divided highway in Georgia?

No, if a grass median, an unpaved area or a physical barrier separates your roadway from the roadway of the bus. Senate Bill 25 of 2019 sets this rule. A center turning lane is not a median. On a road with only a turning lane, traffic from both directions must stop. Traffic that follows the bus or drives alongside it in the same direction must still stop. Check yourself with the practice question about a bus on the other side of a divided roadway.

What to do when you meet a school bus, step by step

1
Slow down at yellow lights
Flashing yellow or amber lights mean the bus will stop soon. Take your foot off the gas and be ready to brake.
2
Stop at red lights and the stop arm
Stop before you reach the bus when the lights turn red and the stop sign extends. Do this whether you meet the bus or come up behind it. Oncoming traffic need not stop when a grass median, unpaved area or physical barrier separates the roadways.
3
Stay stopped
Do not move until the bus starts to move, or it turns off its signals and all the children are clear of the road. Test this rule with the practice question on stopping for a school bus.
4
Watch for children
Look for children who walk along the road, cross the street or wait for the bus.

What is Addy's Law in Georgia?

Addy's Law is the short name of House Bill 409, a Georgia law of 2024. It made the penalties stronger for drivers who pass a stopped school bus. A driver who gets a traffic ticket for this faces a high and aggravated misdemeanor. The civil penalty for a school bus camera violation went up from $250 to $1,000, and a second camera violation brings a notice to the owner's insurance company. The law also asks school systems to consider bus routes with no stops that make a student cross a road with a speed limit of 40 mph or more.

Georgia school bus penalties at a glance

Georgia school bus penalties at a glance
Penalty	What it means for you
Points	6 points on your driving record after a conviction
Criminal penalty (traffic ticket)	A high and aggravated misdemeanor: a fine of not less than $1,000, up to 12 months of confinement, or both (Addy's Law, 2024)
School bus camera	The vehicle owner owes a $1,000 civil penalty under the 2024 law. It is not a criminal charge and adds no points
Second camera violation	In the same jurisdiction, the law enforcement agency sends notice to the owner's insurance company

Can you lose your license for passing a school bus in Georgia?

Yes, in two ways. If you are under 21, a conviction for unlawful passing of a school bus suspends your permit or license: 6 months for a first conviction and 12 months for a second or later one. For any driver, the 6 points count toward the DDS limit. DDS can suspend a license at 15 points in 24 months, and violations in other states count too. The guide to penalties for teen drivers lists the other offenses that suspend a young driver.

Key takeaways

Slow down at flashing yellow lights. Stop for red lights and the stop arm, whether you meet the bus or come up behind it.
On a divided highway, oncoming traffic need not stop when a grass median, an unpaved area or a physical barrier separates the roadways. A center turning lane is not a median.
Stay stopped until the bus moves, or the signals go off and the children are clear.
A conviction adds 6 points. Addy's Law of 2024 set a fine of not less than $1,000 and a $1,000 camera penalty.
Next step: practice the school bus rules on the free Georgia Class C practice test.

Georgia school bus law: common questions

Can I pass a school bus with flashing yellow lights?

Yellow lights are the warning before the stop. Every driver who approaches the bus should slow down and be prepared to stop, because the bus is about to load or unload children. As soon as the lights turn red and the stop sign extends, passing the bus is unlawful, and you must stop before you reach it.

Do I have to stop for a school bus on a four-lane road?

It depends on what separates the lanes. On a four-lane road with no median, or with only a center turning lane, traffic from both directions must stop. On a divided highway with a grass median, an unpaved area or a physical barrier, only traffic that follows the bus or drives alongside it in the same direction must stop.

How much is the fine for passing a school bus in Georgia?

Under Addy's Law of 2024, a driver who gets a traffic ticket for passing a stopped school bus is punished as for a high and aggravated misdemeanor. The penalty is a fine of not less than $1,000, up to 12 months of confinement, or both. A conviction also adds 6 points to your driving record.

Does a school bus camera ticket go on my record?

No. A camera violation is a civil penalty of $1,000 for the vehicle owner under the 2024 law. It is not a criminal charge or a conviction, it adds no points and it does not go on the driving record. After a second or later camera violation in the same jurisdiction, the law enforcement agency sends notice to the owner's insurance company.

Do I have to stop for a school bus on the highway?

On a controlled access highway, you need not stop when the bus is stopped in a loading zone that is part of the highway or next to it, and where pedestrians may not cross the road. On other highways, the median rule applies: oncoming traffic need not stop when a grass median, unpaved area or physical barrier separates the roadways.