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CDL · Emergency Evacuation

In which situations should a school bus driver evacuate the students?

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

When remaining on the bus would be more dangerous than leaving it — for example, fire or risk of fire, the bus is in or near water, a crash has damaged the bus, or there is a hazard such as a railroad crossing or unstable position

  1. A Never, under any circumstances
  2. B Only at the end of the route
  3. C When remaining on the bus would be more dangerous than leaving it — for example, fire or risk of fire, the bus is in or near water, a crash has damaged the bus, or there is a hazard such as a railroad crossing or unstable position
  4. D Only when the bus runs out of fuel

Why this is the answer

The driver must decide whether evacuating is safer than staying aboard. Mandatory or strongly indicated evacuations include fire or the danger of fire, the bus stalled on or near railroad tracks, a position that could shift into a path of danger (such as on an unstable slope or in water), or a crash or hazardous-materials situation that makes the interior unsafe. If staying on the bus is safer — for instance, in heavy traffic where students would be exposed — the driver may keep them aboard. The key judgment is comparing the danger of remaining versus the danger of getting off, and acting to protect the students either way.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual 10.3.1 When to Evacuate

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About this topic: Emergency Evacuation

Emergency evacuation questions cover when to evacuate rather than stay, the front, rear and side-door procedures, where students should assemble, and how to handle students with special needs during an evacuation. This is one of 10 School Bus questions on emergency evacuation, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

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