Driving Tests

PEI School Bus Rules: Stop 6 Metres Back in Both Directions

informational·how to guide·Published July 21, 2026

When must you stop for a school bus in PEI?

In PEI, you must stop when a school bus has its flashing red lights on and you are meeting or overtaking it. Stop at least 6 m (about 20 feet) from the bus, and do not pass until the red lights stop. Drivers coming from both directions stop. The fine is $1,000 to $5,000 (CAD), plus 12 demerit points.

Where these rules come from

This guide uses sections 176 and 202 of the Highway Traffic Act (current to May 29, 2026) and its fine schedule, the Demerit Point System Regulations (2022 text), the Graduated Driver Licensing Regulations (2018 text) and the Driver's Handbook of the Highway Safety Division (revised Spring 2011). Where the handbook words a rule differently, this guide follows the Act. The rules are as of 2026. Confirm the rules with Access PEI (princeedwardisland.ca) before you drive.

Do drivers on the other side of the road stop for a school bus in PEI?

Yes. The Highway Traffic Act tells the driver of a vehicle "meeting or overtaking" a school bus to stop. Meeting means you come toward the bus from the front. Overtaking means you come up behind it. Both drivers must stop. The rule applies on any highway, and the Act defines a highway as the full width of every road, street or lane that the public uses for vehicles. On a divided highway (a highway with a median), confirm the rule with the Highway Safety Division. The question on what drivers in front of and behind a stopped school bus must do tests the two-way case.

What to do when a PEI school bus flashes its lights

1
Slow down at flashing amber lights
Flashing amber lights mean the bus driver is getting ready to stop to pick up or let off children. Reduce speed, drive with caution and watch for students.
2
Stop at flashing red lights
Flashing red lights mean the bus has stopped to pick up or let off children. Stop at least 6 m from the bus, whether you are behind it or in front of it.
3
Stay stopped while the red lights flash
Wait where you are. Passing the bus while its red lights flash is an offence under the Highway Traffic Act.
4
Go when the red lights turn off
Once the flashing red lights turn off, you may pass the bus.

What is the fine for passing a stopped school bus in PEI?

The Highway Traffic Act sets a fine of $1,000 to $5,000 (CAD) for meeting or overtaking a school bus while its flashing red lights are on. A court sets the amount within that range. The conviction also puts 12 demerit points on your driving record, and those points lead to a licence suspension. Before the licence comes back, the Registrar may ask you to attend a driving record interview. The guide to PEI new-driver penalties and demerit points explains how points work for Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3 drivers.

Licence suspension for passing a stopped school bus in PEI

Licence suspension for passing a stopped school bus in PEI
Driver	Licence suspension
Stage 1 driver (Class 7 Instruction Permit) or newly licensed driver (Stage 2 or Stage 3)	Three months, once the 12 points for this offence are entered
Any other driver	Three months, once 12 or more points are on the record. This conviction alone adds 12.

School zones in PEI: 60 km/h, a different rule from the bus stop

A school zone has signs at its entrance and its exit. When you enter and pass through the zone, the speed limit is 60 km/h. The Driver's Handbook also says that you must not pass another vehicle in a school zone. A different sign, the school bus stop ahead sign, warns that a school bus may be stopped ahead to pick up or let off children.

Key Takeaways

Stop at least 6 m from a school bus when its flashing red lights are on, whether you meet it or come up behind it.
On a divided highway, confirm the rule with the Highway Safety Division.
Stay stopped until the red lights turn off. At amber lights, slow down and be ready to stop.
Passing a stopped school bus brings a fine of $1,000 to $5,000 (CAD), 12 demerit points and a three-month licence suspension.
Next step: practise the school bus question on the free Prince Edward Island Class 7 practice test.

PEI school bus rules: common questions

Do I have to stop for a school bus with flashing amber lights?

No, the law does not require a stop at amber lights. You must reduce speed and drive with caution, and you may pass the bus only with caution. Watch for children and be ready to stop, because amber lights mean that the bus is about to stop and turn on its red lights.

Can I pass a school bus with red lights if I see no children?

No. The Highway Traffic Act says that you must not pass the school bus until its flashing red lights turn off. The rule depends on the lights, not on whether you can see children, so stay stopped at least 6 m away until the red lights stop.

How do I know a bus is a school bus?

A school bus has clear "SCHOOL BUS" signs on the front and the rear, in letters at least 200 mm high. It also has alternating amber and red flashing lights. The stop rule applies to a bus with those signs when its red lights flash.

When is the 60 km/h school zone limit in force?

The Highway Traffic Act sets the 60 km/h school zone limit from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, from September to June. The zone must have signs at its entrance and its exit. Obey the signs that you see at the zone.