𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲: 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬

𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲, 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐞 – The school year kicks off this week for Blount County students, so we thought we’d remind you about Tennessee’s school bus laws.

On July 31, Blount County Schools go back in session, so you’ll notice an increase in traffic on our roadways, and especially near school zones. Alcoa City Schools is already back in session, and Maryville City Schools will start back on August 4.  Let’s take a look at Tennessee’s school bus laws:

• When meeting a school or church bus with its red stop warning signal lights flashing and its stop signal arm extended, reduce your speed and come to a complete stop. Do NOT resume driving until the arm is retracted and the bus resumes motion.
• If you’re following a school bus, you cannot pass it when its red stop warning signal lights are flashing. Come to a complete stop behind the school or church bus when it’s stopped, and remain stopped until the bus retracts its stop arm and resumes motion.
• It’s illegal in Tennessee to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload passengers. It’s especially dangerous to pass a school bus on the right, as that is where kids are exiting or entering the bus. You must remain stopped until the visual signals are no longer activated, the bus resumes motion, or the bus driver clearly motions for you to pass. Even so, be extremely careful any time children are around, as they’re unpredictable and may run into the roadway when you least expect it.
• School buses may stop at an intersection to load or unload students. When this happens, vehicles in all directions must stop and remain stopped until the bus resumes motion.
• Drivers do not need to stop for a school bus when traveling on a divided highway. A divided highway is anything with a grassy median or other barrier. Remember, a turn lane is NOT considered a divided highway.
• If you violate these school bus laws, you can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor.

𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝟐𝟎 𝐦𝐩𝐡 𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝.

Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong wishes you and your children a safe and productive school year!