WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Oct. 21 (UPI) -- A GMAC Insurance survey indicates 30 percent of drivers know the correct stopping distance of 20 feet from a bus.
While many drivers know to stop for a bus, they are unsure about the exact stopping distance. The recommended distance drivers following a school bus should stop is at least 20 feet -- or one and a half car lengths -- from the back of the bus.
"It's important to promote school bus safety awareness, and as individuals, we should do all we can by making good driving decisions and following the rules of the road," Wade Bontrager of GMAC Insurance said in a statement
GMAC Insurance advises drivers to:
-- When a school bus stops and displays its red flashing lights, come to a stop until the lights are no longer flashing or until signaled by the bus driver or police.
-- It is illegal to pass on the right side of the bus, where children are loading and unloading. In many places, school bus drivers can report a passing vehicle.
-- Obey the posted speed limits in school zones where children are often walking or playing and pay attention to crossing guards.
