I presume that's the case in every U.S. state. Part of the bus stop protocol I got taught is that kids cross the street in front of the bus after they get out, and that we needed to walk forward far enough that the driver could see us.
My school bus had this pole attached to the front bumper area of the bus. It swung out when it stops. This forces kids to walk at least 8 feet (or however wide a bus us) in front of it before crossing.
Yep, they appeared in my school district in the mid-90's. And with it came stop signs that swung out from the side of the bus, overhead escape hatches that could be opened for ventilation, and ejection seats.
Yep, same in WA. In fact, every school bus deploys bright red flashing lights and displays giant stop signals unfolding from the back, with signs that say in very uncertain terms that it is illegal to pass a school bus when it is stopped and the lights are deployed.
In Minnesota, the school buses have stop signs that swing out with lights on them when the bus is boarding or letting off children. It is illegal to go around the bus when the sign is displayed. I hope I never find out how much the ticket is.
Yup, we have those in Texas too. I assumed they were standard; I guess TIL I learned they're not. They very much should be. Children, especially very young children, are quite unpredictable even when they should know better, and the signs are a signal from the bus driver to surrounding cars that the safety of those children (which the driver should be monitoring) is much, much more important than the impatience of the surrounding motorists. You always stop. Always.
Ridiculous those big road hogs get to sit there impeding traffic for literally no reason. Just adjust the route so the kid only gets out on the side facing the house so the rest of us don't have to suffer. Pay taxes for the road then have to sit there not even able to properly use it, ludicrous.
