School Starts Wednesday In Everett – Know The Rules On Passing A Bus?

Everett Police have put out a reminder about driving around school busses and in school zones as kids in the Everett School District head back to class next week.

September’s traffic safety tip is school zone/school bus safety! With all our kids finding their way back to school this month and the buses back on the roads, its more important than ever to understand RCW 46.61.370 RCW 46.61.440!

RCW 46.61.370 states
• The driver of a vehicle upon overtaking or meeting from either direction any school bus which has stopped on the roadway for the purpose of receiving or discharging any school children shall stop the vehicle before reaching such school bus when there is in operation on said school bus a visual signal as specified in RCW 46.37.190 and said driver shall not proceed until such school bus resumes motion or the visual signals are no longer activated.
• The driver of a vehicle upon a highway divided into separate roadways as provided in RCW 46.61.150 need not stop upon meeting a school bus which is proceeding in the opposite direction and is stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children.
• The driver of a vehicle upon a highway with three or more marked traffic lanes need not stop upon meeting a school bus which is proceeding in the opposite direction and is stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children.

And RCW 46.61.440 states:
• Subject to RCW 46.61.400(1), and except in those instances where a lower maximum lawful speed is provided by this chapter or otherwise, it shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to operate the same at a speed in excess of twenty miles per hour when operating any vehicle upon a highway either inside or outside an incorporated city or town when passing any marked school or playground crosswalk when such marked crosswalk is fully posted with standard school speed limit signs or standard playground speed limit signs. The speed zone at the crosswalk shall extend three hundred feet in either direction from the marked crosswalk.

Our patrol officers and Traffic Safety Unit will pay extra attention to school buses and zones. Please slow down, be safe, and watch for Officer Rasco and his motorcycle in school zones!