§ 47-12-228 — Special lighting equipment and warning devices on

school buses and church buses. A. In addition to any other equipment and distinctive markings required by this title, every school bus and every church bus shall be equipped with signal lamps mounted as high and as widely spaced laterally as practicable, which shall display to the front two alternately flashing red lights located at the same level and to the rear two alternately flashing red lights located at the same level. These lights shall be visible at five hundred (500) feet in normal sunlight. B. Every school bus shall bear upon the front and rear thereof plainly visible signs containing the words "SCHOOL BUS" in letters not less than eight (8) inches in height, located between the warning signal lights as high as possible without impairing visibility of the lettering, and have no other lettering on the front or rear of the vehicle, except as required by 47 C.F.R., Part 571. C. Every church bus shall bear upon the front and rear thereof plainly visible signs containing the words "CHURCH BUS" in letters not less than eight (8) inches in height, located between the warning signal lights as high as possible without impairing visibility of the lettering. In addition, such church bus may be equipped with visual signals meeting the requirements of subsection A of this section. D. Every school bus manufactured on or after September 1, 1992, shall be equipped with a stop signal arm that complies with 49 C.F.R., Section 571.131. E. In addition to the lights required by subsection A of this section, any school bus shall be equipped with amber signal lamps mounted near each of the four red lamps and at the same level but closer to the vertical center line of the bus, which shall display two alternately flashing amber lights to the front and two alternately flashing amber lights to the rear. These lights shall be visible at five hundred (500) feet in normal sunlight. These lights shall be displayed by the school bus driver at least one hundred (100) feet, but not more than five hundred (500) feet, before every stop at which the alternately flashing red lights required by subsection A will be actuated. F. The State Board of Education, with the approval of the Commissioner of Public Safety, is authorized to adopt standards and specifications applicable to lighting equipment on and special warning devices to be carried by school buses consistent with, and supplemental to, the provisions of this chapter. Such standards and specifications shall be identical to any Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard which regulates the same aspect of performance of the same equipment or device. Where there is no applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, the standards and specifications shall conform to the greatest extent feasible with any other relevant standard issued or endorsed by federal agencies or recognized standard-setting organizations. G. During the time any school bus or church bus is operating, the school bus or church bus shall have its headlights activated. H. It shall be unlawful to operate any red flashing warning signal light on any school bus except when any said school bus is stopped on a highway for the purpose of permitting school children to board or discharge from said school bus. I. It shall be unlawful to operate any red flashing warning signal light on any church bus except when any said bus is stopped on a highway for the purpose of permitting passengers to board or discharge from said bus. J. The use of the signal equipment described herein shall impose upon drivers of other vehicles the obligation to yield right- of-way and stop for school buses, as prescribed in Section 11-705 of this title, and for church buses, as prescribed in Section 11-705.1 of this title. K. The loading lamps on school buses converted for purposes other than transporting pupils to or from school shall be disconnected, except for buses purchased for use by religious organizations as church buses.

Legislative History

Added by Laws 1961, p. 402, § 12-228, eff. Sept. 1, 1961. Amended by Laws 1973, c. 112, § 3; Laws 1978, c. 262, § 4, eff. Oct. 1, 1978; Laws 1991, c. 91, § 1, eff. July 1, 1991; Laws 1992, c. 81, § 1, eff. July 1, 1992; Laws 1999, c. 189, § 4, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2003, c. 411, § 45, eff. Nov. 1, 2003.