Passing A School Bus
RCW 46.61.370 — stop while the signal is on, and a penalty twice the usual one
In Washington, a driver overtaking or meeting from either direction a school bus stopped on the roadway to take on or let off children stops before reaching it while its visual signal is on, and does not go on until the bus moves or the signals turn off.
- A driver on a highway divided into separate roadways need not stop when meeting a bus going the other way.
- Neither need a driver on a highway with three or more marked lanes, meeting a bus going the other way.
The penalty is twice the usual traffic infraction penalty, and it may not be waived, reduced or suspended. A violation caught by an automated school bus camera is not part of the owner's driving record and is handled like a parking infraction.
Sources for this section (1)
- RCW 46.61.370 — Overtaking or meeting school bus or private carrier bus
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Washington attorney.