School Buses and Pedestrians

Key points

1. Stop at least 10 feet from a school bus with red lights flashing or stop sign extended.

   Source: Handbook p. 46

   “COME TO A COMPLETE STOP at least ten (10) feet away from the bus.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 46

2. Stay stopped until children have crossed and the bus moves on with lights off and stop sign retracted.

   Source: Handbook p. 46

   “REMAIN STOPPED until the children have crossed the roadway AND the bus has resumed motion, its red lights no longer flash, and its stop sign is retracted.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 46

3. On a divided highway with four or more lanes, traffic going the opposite way need not stop.

   Source: Handbook p. 46

   “If you are traveling in the OPPOSITE direction as the stopped school bus you may continue travel on your side of the divided highway without stopping.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 46

4. You need not stop for a bus in a highway loading zone where pedestrians may not cross.

   Source: Handbook p. 46

   “where pedestrians are not allowed to cross the roadway, you do not have to stop.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 46

5. A first offense for failing to stop costs $350 to $750, up to 1 year in jail, or both.

   Source: Handbook p. 47

   “First Offense: Fine not less than $350 and not more than $750, or imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, or both.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 47

6. A second offense within 5 years brings $750 to $1500 and a 90 day suspension.

   Source: Handbook p. 47

   “Second or Subsequent Offense [within five (5) years]: Fine not less than $750 and not more than $1500, or imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, or both. In addition, suspension of driver’s license and driving privileges for ninety (90) days.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 47

7. A pedestrian in a crosswalk, marked or not, always has the right of way.

   Source: Handbook p. 47

   “A person walking across the street within a crosswalk, whether or not the crosswalk is marked, ALWAYS HAS THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.”
   Mississippi Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 47

Numbers to know

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the Mississippi practice test

1. 1. A school bus is stopped on a divided highway with four or more lanes, and you are traveling opposite the bus. What may you do?

   1. Continue on your side without stopping when the divided-highway exception applies
   2. Stop at least ten feet away until the bus resumes motion
   3. Turn around and approach the bus from the same direction
   4. Stop only if the bus driver waves traffic down
   Show answer

   Continue on your side without stopping when the divided-highway exception applies. Mississippi makes opposite-direction traffic an exception when the stopped bus is on a divided highway with at least four lanes and opposing travel separated. A driver on the other side may continue along that side instead of stopping. The choice “Stop at least ten feet away until the bus resumes motion” describes traffic moving in the bus's direction, not the opposing lane. Keep watching for children and obey other traffic controls, because the exception concerns the bus stop procedure rather than general safe driving.

2. 2. A school bus is stopped in a loading zone that is part of the highway, where pedestrians are not allowed to cross. What must Mississippi drivers do?

   1. Stop at least 10 feet away until the stop arm retracts
   2. They do not have to stop
   3. Stop only if traveling in the same direction
   4. Honk and continue
   Show answer

   They do not have to stop. Mississippi carves out one exception for loading zones: if the bus sits in a loading zone on or beside the highway and pedestrians are not allowed to cross the roadway there, other drivers do not have to stop. Everywhere else, drivers must stop at least 10 feet away regardless of direction, except opposite direction traffic on a divided highway of four or more lanes. Honking is never the required response.

3. 3. A pedestrian is crossing within a crosswalk, but the painted markings are absent. Who has the right-of-way?

   1. The pedestrian still has the right-of-way
   2. The vehicle turning right has priority
   3. The vehicle traveling fastest has priority
   4. The pedestrian must yield unless a crossing guard is present
   Show answer

   The pedestrian still has the right-of-way. Mississippi treats a pedestrian in an unmarked crosswalk as having the same right-of-way as one in a marked crosswalk. The lack of paint does not release a driver from yielding. Turning vehicles do not automatically outrank people on foot, and neither speed nor a crossing guard changes the basic rule. Approach intersections carefully, keep the vehicle under control, and be prepared to stop for the pedestrian.

Source: the Mississippi Driver's Manual, Yielding Right-of-Way. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.