Don’t do this when passing a school bus while its lights are flashing

A 60-year-old female driver in NSW has copped a $2616 fine – and lost her licence – after learning why cars must slow to 40km/h when their lights are flashing, regardless of the speed zone.

A 60-year-old female driver has been issued a $2616 fine – and lost her licence on the spot – after passing a school bus at 91km/h and ignoring its flashing lights and 40km/h signage.

NSW Police have reported that highway patrol officers in the Hunter Valley region north of Sydney last week detected a vehicle allegedly travelling at 91km/h as it drove past a school bus that had its lights flashing while children were disembarking.

“The female driver was stopped as a result of the speed and was issued a penalty notice for exceeding the speed limit by more than 45km/h ($2616) and her driver’s licence was immediately suspended and confiscated,” a statement from NSW Police said.

Further information on the Transport for NSW website says: “By law, a driver must not overtake or pass a bus with flashing lights at more than 40km/h.

“Lights begin to flash when the bus stops and the doors open, and they keep flashing for about 20 seconds after the doors close. Children are most at risk in the minutes after they get off the bus.

“Young children are often unpredictable in their movements. They are still developing the skills that help them to judge the direction of sound and the speed and distance of vehicles.”

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