VA HB409

Drivers must stop for school buses loading or discharging children, elderly individuals, or individuals with disabilities on highways, private roads, or school driveways, and remain stopped until all individuals are clear and the bus moves; violations constitute reckless driving

Drivers are exempt from stopping when a school bus is on the opposite roadway of a divided highway, access road, or driveway separated by a physical barrier or unpaved area

Clarifies that the exemption applies even when physical barriers or unpaved areas are segmented to accommodate intersections or turning vehicles

Drivers may also pass a stopped school bus loading or discharging passengers adjacent to a school when directed by a law-enforcement officer or authorized school crossing guard

Testimony from the school bus driver, supervisor, or law-enforcement officer regarding the bus's yellow color, markings, and warning devices serves as prima facie evidence the vehicle is a school bus