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CDL · Loading and Unloading

What do the amber (yellow) warning lights and then the red flashing lights on a school bus signal?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

Amber flashing lights warn that the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload, and red flashing lights with the extended stop arm require traffic to stop while students load, unload, or cross

  1. A Amber flashing lights warn that the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload, and red flashing lights with the extended stop arm require traffic to stop while students load, unload, or cross
  2. B Amber means stop, red means go
  3. C Both colors mean the bus is parked
  4. D The lights have no legal meaning

Why this is the answer

The amber (yellow) flashing lights are activated in advance to warn other drivers that the bus is about to stop to load or unload students; they are a signal to prepare to stop. When the bus actually stops for students, the driver activates the red flashing lights and extends the stop arm, which legally requires traffic in both directions (subject to specific divided-highway rules) to stop and remain stopped until the lights are off and the stop arm is retracted. The driver should activate the amber lights far enough ahead to give following traffic time to slow and stop, then switch to red at the stop.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual 10.2.4 Warning Lights

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About this topic: Loading and Unloading

Loading and unloading is where most student fatalities occur. These questions cover the stop procedure, use of warning lights and the stop arm, counting students, and what to do if a student drops something near the bus. This is one of 20 School Bus questions on loading and unloading, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our CDL exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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What do the amber (yellow) flashing lights on a school bus signal?

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