On a four or six lane road like Lima road where the north bound and southbound lanes are divided by a curb and ten or more feet of concrete or a large grass median, when a north bound school bus stops to pick up kids, are the cars in the south bound lanes required to stop? I'm confused and worried that I'll get hit from behind and be in the wrong.

jasper wrote:

On a four or six lane road like Lima road where the north bound and southbound lanes are divided by a curb and ten or more feet of concrete or a large grass median, when a north bound school bus stops to pick up kids, are the cars in the south bound lanes required to stop? I'm confused and worried that I'll get hit from behind and be in the wrong.

Maybe a little late:

Taken from the Indiana BMV manual:

If you are driving on a highway that is divided by a barrier or unimproved median, you are required to stop only if you are traveling in the same direction as the school bus. You do not have to stop if you and a school bus are traveling in the opposite directions on a road that has more than two lanes and is separated by a median strip not for vehicle travel.

Now if you were on State street, two lanes each side, then yes, you would need to stop regardless of direction.

Thank you, Go IU, for taking the time to research this. Your response is correct.

Jasper, under the circumstances you describe, you are not required to stop and you may proceed with due caution for the safety of the children boarding or leaving the school bus.

Indiana Code 9-21-12-3 addresses your question:

If a school bus is stopped on a highway that is divided into two (2) or more roadways by an intervening space that is unimproved and not intended for vehicular travel, or a physical barrier, or a dividing section constructed to impede vehicular traffic, and if the school bus is on the opposite side of the traffic barrier, the person who drives an approaching vehicle need not stop and may proceed with due caution for the safety of children boarding or leaving the school bus.