What should a school bus driver do when approaching a school zone?

When approaching a school zone, the appropriate action for a school bus driver is to slow down and be prepared to stop. This is essential to ensure the safety of schoolchildren who may be crossing the street or waiting for the bus. School zones are typically marked with reduced speed limits and specific signs indicating that drivers should exercise caution in these areas due to the increased presence of children.

The rationale behind this guideline is rooted in both safety regulations and the potential for unpredictable behavior from children, who may suddenly enter the traffic without warning as they arrive or leave school. Therefore, reducing speed provides the driver with more reaction time in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

In contrast, maintaining the current speed limit would not take into account the potentially lower speed limits set for school zones, which are generally implemented to ensure extra care is taken in these areas. Increasing speed could endanger the children and other pedestrians, as it reduces the driver’s ability to react swiftly. Looking for alternate routes may be impractical or unnecessary, as the priority should remain on safely navigating through the school zone itself while adhering to the local traffic laws.