What you need to know: School bus rules for upcoming school year

(WKBN) – It is that time of year once again, the big yellow buses will be back on the roads during your morning commute. This means you’ll want to be a little extra cautious and patient as you head out the door.

School zones, buses, kids walking to school or the bus stops, these are just some of the added things you need to look out for when school is back in session. Triple A says to stay alert, ditch the distractions and plan ahead.

Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles the chances of crashing.

Finally, experts recommend planning ahead to avoid running late and rushing.

Buses make frequent stops in the morning, which could add time to your commute. Speaking of the school buses, law enforcement in Ohio is reminding drivers when they must stop for buses.

When to stop:

• On a road with fewer than four lanes, all traffic stops in both directions.
• Drivers must give 10 feet of room from the front or back of the bus.
• All traffic remains stopped until the bus begins moving again.

When you don’t need to stop:

• Some drivers on the road will be able to continue moving when there are 4 or more lanes.
• In this case, only traffic headed in the same direction of the bus will stop.
• Drivers headed in the opposite direction may proceed without stopping.
• Those stopped behind the bus must wait to move until the bus is back in motion.

In PA, all traffic stops in the following situations regardless of the number of lanes.

When drivers going the opposite direction don’t need to stop in Pennsylvania:

• If there is a physical barrier that divides the median
• If there is a clear dividing section of trees, shrubs, water or other natural dividers

PennDOT says when in doubt, stop.

Make sure as you head out the door in the coming weeks, remember these rules and stay extra alert on the roads.

Plus, in certain areas like Youngstown, school zone cameras will go back into affect. So slow down to avoid getting a ticket.