¢â‚¬Å“The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round. ¢â‚¬ � As students head back to classrooms across Iowa next week, this song will be on the tip of our tongues. School buses carry our most precious cargo, and it ¢â‚¬â„¢s illegal in every state to pass one while the stop-arm is extended and the red lights are flashing.  

When you ¢â‚¬â„¢re approaching a school bus slowing down or stopping, you should stop at least 20-25 feet from the vehicle from either direction. And it ¢â‚¬â„¢s not just the bus that you need to put eyes on. Children often wait several feet away from a bus and may cross the street to board or step off.  

Here ¢â‚¬â„¢s a refresher on bus lights and why you should never attempt to pass when you see them:

  • Yellow Flashing Lights:  The bus is preparing to stop to load/unload children. Slow down and get stopped.  
  • Red Flashing Lights:  These lights and extended stop-arms indicate the bus has stopped and children are getting on/off. You must stop your car and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before you can proceed.

The way to school shouldn ¢â‚¬â„¢t be in  harm ¢â‚¬â„¢s way, so be sure to teach your children well on how to navigate the bus stop.

In 2025, in Iowa, 179 people have been killed in traffic crashes. That ¢â‚¬â„¢s an increase of 12 since last Friday.  In Iowa in 2024, there were 356 traffic-related deaths. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, visit the  daily fatality report.