You might not notice the small gap between your car and a stopped school bus, but that 10-foot space now carries real consequences. If you pass or encroach within 10 feet of a school bus with flashing lights and an extended stop arm, you can face an instant fine and automated camera evidence. Knowing this rule prevents costly tickets and keeps kids safer.
This article explains what the 10-foot rule means for your daily driving and gives practical steps you can use right away to avoid violations. Keep reading to learn how enforcement works, what the fines look like, and simple habits that make compliance automatic.
What Is the New 10-Foot Road Rule and Why Does It Matter?
The rule requires you to give at least ten feet of lateral clearance in specific situations, and officials enforce it with on-the-spot tickets. It changes how you approach stopped school buses, roadside work zones, and some narrow-lane scenarios regulated by traffic control devices.
How the 10-Foot Rule Works Near School Buses
When a school bus displays flashing red lights and extends its stop arm, you must stop and remain stopped until the bus retracts the arm and the lights go off. The 10-foot rule means you cannot pass or drive within ten feet of the bus while children are boarding or alighting. This lateral buffer applies to both directions of travel on undivided roads that lack a median.
Look for the bus’s stop arm, flashing red lights, and any regulatory signs that mirror the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) guidance. Police use these visual cues and lane position to judge whether you violated the ten-foot clearance. On multi-lane roads with a physical median, the ten-foot restriction may not apply to traffic on the opposite side; check local ordinances if you drive those routes regularly.
Penalties for Violating the 10-Foot Rule
Violations typically result in an instant citation that carries fines and points on your license. Fine amounts and point assessments vary by state and municipality, so a single ticket can increase insurance premiums and affect driving records differently depending on where you live. Some jurisdictions escalate penalties if the violation results in injury to a child.
Law enforcement documents the vehicle’s position relative to the bus, the time the bus’s signals were active, and witness statements. These records determine whether the ten-foot buffer was breached. Repeat offenses often bring higher fines, mandatory traffic school, or even temporary license suspension in stricter states.
Common Mistakes and Triggers for Instant Tickets
Drivers often misjudge the bus’s active zone by focusing only on the extended stop arm and not on the lateral distance. You might stop too close, creep forward through a crosswalk, or try to squeeze past when traffic in the opposite lane appears light. Those actions trigger immediate citations because they invade the ten-foot safety zone.
Other common triggers include failing to obey temporary traffic control devices near bus stops, ignoring portable warning signs, and misreading painted curb markings or school-zone signs that follow MUTCD standards. Distracted driving and poor lane discipline make you more likely to cross the ten-foot boundary without realizing it.
Practical Tips for Staying Compliant on the Road
Know the exact signals, signs, and spacing that apply where you drive. Pay special attention to commercial vehicle rules and the legal definition of following too closely to avoid instant tickets.
Recognizing Traffic Control Devices and Signals
You must obey posted signs, pavement markings, and traffic signals precisely. Look for regulatory signs (white rectangles) that set speed limits, lane use, and parking restrictions; ignoring them can trigger tickets immediately.
Watch for temporary devices—work zone signs, arrow boards, and flaggers—because fines and penalties often increase in those areas. Flashing signals change meaning by color and location; treat a flashing red like a stop sign and a flashing yellow as a warning to proceed with caution.
Use visual scanning: check overhead signals, lane-control signs, and pavement arrows before making lane changes or turns. If a sign mandates a 10-foot clearance (for example, at designated loading/unloading zones or alongside large trucks), measure mentally: if your vehicle or cargo approaches that limit, adjust speed or route to comply.
If unsure about an unusual sign, slow down and position your vehicle where you can stop safely without impeding traffic.
Special Considerations for Commercial Motor Vehicles
If you drive a commercial motor vehicle, federal and state rules add explicit clearance and following-distance requirements. Your vehicle’s length and cargo can create wider blind spots and longer stopping distances, so increase your distance behind other vehicles accordingly.
Inspect securements and overhangs before departure; protruding loads often require marked flags or lights and can violate 10-foot clearance rules if you pass too close to structures or other vehicles.
When passing or being passed by a commercial vehicle, avoid lingering in blind spots. Maintain a steady speed during maneuvers and give extra lateral space—truck drivers need wider clearance for turns. Remember that violations involving commercial vehicles draw higher fines and may result in out-of-service orders, so err on the side of caution.
Keeping a Safe Distance: Following Too Closely and Road Safety
Following too closely is a common, enforceable offense. Use the three-second rule as a baseline in clear conditions: pick a fixed point the vehicle ahead passes, then count to three before you pass it. Increase that to five seconds if you’re behind a commercial motor vehicle, towing, or in poor weather.
Maintain extra space when approaching intersections, crosswalks, and work zones; those are high-risk spots where sudden stops occur. If you can’t see a truck driver’s mirrors, the driver likely can’t see you—drop back until you can.
If you’re stopped behind a vehicle on a hill or slope, leave enough room to prevent roll-back collisions. Adjust following distance for speed: at highway speeds, add at least one second for every 10 mph above 50. Law enforcement uses observed gaps to cite tailgating, so visible, consistent spacing reduces your risk of tickets.
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