Passing A School Bus
Transp. Code 545.066 — stop for a school bus showing its signal, and a fine of $500 to $1,250
In Texas, a driver approaching from either direction a school bus stopped on the highway to take on or let off a student stops before reaching the bus when its visual signal is operating, and does not go on until the bus moves, the bus driver signals to proceed, or the signal is turned off.
- A driver on a highway with separate roadways need not stop for a bus on a different roadway.
- Roadways count as separate only when divided by an intervening space vehicles may not use, a physical barrier, or a dividing section built to impede traffic. A left turn lane alone does not separate them.
- On a controlled-access highway, a driver need not stop for a bus in a loading zone beside the highway where pedestrians may not cross.
| The offense | The penalty |
|---|---|
| The offenseA first offense | The penaltyA fine of $500 to $1,250 |
| The offenseA second or later within five years of the last | The penaltyA fine of $1,000 to $2,000, and the license may be suspended for up to six months |
| The offenseCausing serious bodily injury to another | The penaltyA Class A misdemeanor |
| The offenseCausing serious bodily injury, after a prior conviction for it | The penaltyA state jail felony |
Sources for this section (1)
- Transp. Code 545.066 — Passing a school bus; offense
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Texas attorney.