CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With schools starting up, more school buses will be on the roadways taking children to class. So when should you stop for a school bus? The WCNC Charlotte Verify team is getting the facts.
"I have seen instances where my arm was out," Marquise McClelland, a bus driver for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, said. "Luckily, I yelled at the child and said, 'Let's not move -- stay there,' and a car just zoomed right on past."
He's not the only one whose had close calls. So the Verify team is looking into the rules of when to stop for a school bus.
THE SOURCES
WHAT WE FOUND
"When the doors open up, the stop sign comes out, and passenger lights come on," McClelland said. "That's when people need to be alert and stop."
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety broke down the rules of the road when it comes to stopping for a school bus:
- Two-lane road: All traffic from both directions must stop.
- Two-lane with a center turning lane: All traffic from both directions must stop.
- Four-lane road: All traffic from both directions must stop.
- Four-lane roadway with a median: Only traffic following the bus must stop.
- Four or more lanes with a center turning lane: Only traffic following the bus must stop.
Students should also be vigilant and wait for the bus driver's hand signals alerting them it's safe to cross the road.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit VERIFY.
WCNC Charlotte's Verify series is all about trying to make sure the community has the correct information on news that impacts them. WCNC Charlotte outlines concisely what we know and what we don't know. Sometimes the answer can be surprising. Watch previous stories where we verify social media claims in the YouTube playlist below and subscribe to get updated when new videos are uploaded.
