How many points should be deducted for not yielding to a school bus?
4 Answers
According to Article 11, Clause 8 of the "Measures for the Scoring Management of Road Traffic Safety Violations": Failing to yield to a school bus as required while driving a motor vehicle will result in a deduction of 3 points and a fine. Since school buses are special vehicles, especially when they stop to pick up or drop off students, vehicles around the school bus must yield, slow down, and pass cautiously. Do not compete with the school bus for the right of way, honk, or use lights to urge the school bus to move. Correct methods for yielding to a stopped school bus: On a road with only one lane in the same direction: When a school bus stops on a road with only one lane in the same direction, vehicles behind must stop and wait, and are not allowed to overtake. On a road with two or more lanes in the same direction: When a school bus stops on a road with two or more lanes in the same direction, vehicles in the same lane behind the bus and in the adjacent lane must stop and wait, while vehicles in other lanes should slow down and pass. When riding a school bus, it is important to fasten your seatbelt to avoid collision injuries during braking. Eating or drinking is prohibited while the school bus is in motion to prevent food or beverages from entering the respiratory tract during sudden braking or accidental collisions, which could cause harm or endanger life.
I encountered this situation just the other day when I was driving to pick up my kids. The school bus in front of me turned on its stop sign, and I immediately hit the brakes to wait. Later, I checked the regulations and found out that failing to yield to a school bus is indeed a serious traffic violation. If caught by traffic police, it results in an immediate deduction of 3 points. Besides the points, there's also a fine ranging from 200 to 500 yuan. This is something you really can't take lightly. My neighbor, Old Zhang, learned this the hard way last year when he didn't stop for a school bus and got caught by a traffic camera. Not only did he lose points, but he also had to retake traffic regulations classes. Just think about those kids hopping on and off the bus—as drivers, we should always yield. It's not just about being responsible for others, but also for our own wallets, right?
I finally understood this rule when I took my daughter to a traffic safety lecture last time. The expert said when a school bus activates its red lights and extends the stop sign, all vehicles in all directions must come to a complete stop - no overtaking is allowed. If you force your way past, traffic cameras will record it as a solid 3-point deduction. I made a special note of this regulation and now automatically maintain a 20-meter distance from school buses. Once at Jianshe Intersection, I saw a novice driver who almost failed to brake in time - luckily a traffic assistant blew the whistle as a warning. Honestly, those 3 penalty points are well deserved, considering it involves the safety of so many children. There's absolutely no room for complacency.
When I first started driving, I was also quite confused. Once, I impatiently honked behind a school bus. The instructor immediately yelled at me: 'Don't you know that failing to yield to a school bus starts with 3 penalty points!' Now, I get nervous every time I see a yellow school bus. The regulations are crystal clear: when a school bus is stopped, adjacent lanes must stop and wait; overtaking or driving parallel is a violation. I remember last year, the city launched a special campaign that caught over 300 such drivers, and their penalty records were publicly displayed on the traffic management app. My old neighborhood has a school right at the entrance, and traffic police are always there during the morning and afternoon pick-up times—there's no escaping it. It's safest to just queue up properly.
