Flashing red lights mean stop: Minnesota strengthens school bus safety rules

It happens in a split second — but stays with you.

You’re standing at the bus stop, watching your child hop down the steps. They light up when they see you. They’re excited, distracted and already darting around the stop arm to get to you faster.

And then you see it.

A car, coming fast. Not slowing down. Not stopping.

Your stomach drops. You yell “Stop!” hoping your voice gets to them before the car does.

It’s a scene that plays out far too often at bus stops. Spend any time near one — as a parent, caregiver or driver — and it becomes clear how quickly it can turn dangerous.

But the biggest concern isn’t the kids.

It’s the drivers.

And it’s not just a parenting concern, it’s a public safety issue.

That’s why Minnesota lawmakers passed a revision to the law. It takes a stronger stance against drivers who ignore bus signals — or try to “beat the stop arm.” The revised law, signed by Gov. Tim Walz in March, removes a loophole and creates a safer environment for children as they get on and off the bus.

Here’s what’s changed:

Previously, many drivers treated the stop arm as the final signal, waiting until it was fully extended before hitting the brakes. 

Now the rule is clear:

The moment a school bus’s red lights begin flashing, drivers must stop — no exceptions — at least 20 feet away from the bus, whether the stop arm is fully extended or not.

But the issue goes far beyond the rule — it’s about what happens in those moments around a stopped bus.

“When drivers are passing the school bus when red lights are flashing, the bus driver becomes upset and the students don’t know what to do,” said Nick Klaseus, president of the Minnesota Association for Pupil Transportation. “It’s very important that everyone stops when they see the red lights flashing on a school bus.”

What hasn’t changed? The consequences.

• Failure to stop is a misdemeanor.
• Violators face a minimum $500 fine.

However, the real cost isn’t money, it’s lives. 

“Failing to stop for a school bus is a violation we take seriously,” said Lt. Brian Reu with the Minnesota State Patrol. “It’s not just a ticket — it’s a decision that can lead to serious injury or worse.”

In 2025, law enforcement wrote more than 2,000 stop-arm violation citations. And that’s only the drivers who were caught. Each year, bus drivers across the state participate in a one-day stop-arm survey. During this time, bus drivers note the number of vehicles they see and how many drivers violate the stop-arm rule. On that one day last year, the 3,472 bus drivers who participated observed 514 violations.

That uncertainty and sometimes dangerous decision-making by drivers is exactly what the updated law aims to eliminate.

“Any confusion in the law opens the doorway for drivers to make last-minute decisions that could potentially risk the lives of students simply trying to get to school,” said Kathryn Forbord, president of the Minnesota School Bus Operators Association. 

Those flashing red lights likely mean there’s a child nearby. Maybe they’re paying attention. Maybe they’re not. They’re counting on you, the driver, to do the right thing.

Parents, caregivers and bus drivers already carry enough worry. Getting kids safely to and from school shouldn’t come with this kind of fear.

“At the end of the day, the most important thing for all of our students is that they can get home safe,” Forbord said.

So next time you’re behind the wheel and you see a school bus light up red, don’t inch forward. Don’t try to squeeze by.

Just stop.

You can find more information and resources on the Minnesota State Patrol's school bus safety page.