Dubai: Do you know what to do if you see a school bus ‘Stop’ sign go up? School buses across the UAE are equipped with automatic stop signs that go up whenever schoolchildren are being picked up or dropped off, and motorists who fail to abide by the stop sign face severe penalties, as impatient driving behaviour can seriously jeopardise the lives of schoolchildren and other road users.As students return to school from August 31, after a long summer break, here are all the rules related to the school bus stop sign, which you should know.What to look out forSchool buses in the UAE are required to have an automatic stop sign that goes up whenever the school bus stops to pick up or drop off students. This is as per Article 71 of Ministerial Resolution No. 130 of 1997.In Dubai, Article 6(4) of the Administrative Resolution No. 196 of 2015 in Dubai, also requires school buses to be equipped with a red light that flashes as the school bus stops.What to do when you see a school bus stop signWhenever a school bus stops to pick up or drop off students, motorists are required to come to a complete stop, maintaining a minimum space of at least 5 metres from the bus.On roads that do not have a divider (two-way roads), this rule applies to vehicles travelling in both directions. So, even if a school bus stops in the opposite direction, you should stop with a gap of at least 5 metres from the bus.On roads that have a divider, however, only the vehicles travelling behind the bus must stop completely, leaving a gap of at least 5 meters.Photo Credit: RTAAccording to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), vehicles must remain stopped until:All students have crossed and reached the safe zone.The stop arm is withdrawn.Flashing lights are turned off.Obligations of school bus driversAdministrative Resolution No. 196 of 2015 in Dubai also lays down rules that school bus drivers are required to follow to maintain road safety, as well as the safety and wellbeing of children, when using public transport.As per Article 11 of the resolution, a school bus driver must:Use the Automatic Stop sign when picking up or dropping off students and pupils.Wear the official uniform while engaged in school transport activities, and maintain a neat and good appearance.Produce the School Bus registration card and operating permit, and the school bus driving permit, to RTA employees upon request.Refrain from smoking, eating, or drinking while driving the school bus.Maintain the cleanliness of the school bus.Transport students and pupils by the school bus in a timely manner, and notify the immediate supervisor in case of any delay.Fines for not stoppingMotorists who fail to stop when a school bus displays its stop sign face:AED 1,000 fine10 black points on the driving licenceAlso, a school bus driver who fails to extend the 'Stop' sign, when stopping to pick up or drop off students faces:AED 500 fineSix black points
