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School buses Students using a school bus can be at risk when getting on or off the bus. When school bus lights are flashing: On an undivided highway (not divided by a median), do the following:
• When you approach a school bus from either direction (from the front or the rear), and it has the alternating amber lights flashing, you must be ready to stop. This is a warning that the alternating red lights are going to begin flashing and the school bus is stopping to allow students to get on or off.
• If you pass a school bus that has its alternating amber lights flashing, pass with caution.
• When the school bus stops to let students on or off, its alternating red lights will begin flashing. You will also see a stop sign extended from the left side of the school bus. You must come to a full stop about 20 metres (about four to five car lengths) away from the school bus. This distance allows drivers of other vehicles behind you to see the flashing lights and students crossing the highway. approx. 20 metres SCHOOL BUS STOP STOP approx. 20 metres On a two-lane undivided highway, both lanes must stop for a school bus. approx. 20 metres SCHOOL BUS STOP approx. 20 metres STOP On a four-lane undivided highway, all four lanes must stop for a school bus. approx. 20 metres SCHOOL BUS STOP Median MAY PROCEED WATCH FOR PEDESTRIANS On a highway divided by a median, vehicles to the rear of the school bus must stop.Text extracted from the PDF for reference and may contain layout artefacts. The official PDF is authoritative.
Open official handbook at page 103 ↗Source: Driver's Guide: cars and light trucks, Spring 2026. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Alberta.