What do the yellow and red flashing lights mean on a school bus?
The alternating flashing yellow (or amber) light is a warning signal. The operator of any vehicle, when meeting or overtaking any bus with the amber lights flashing, shall slow his vehicle, but may proceed past the school bus using due care and caution at a speed no greater than that used in school zones (20 mph). The alternating flashing red light signals that children are unloading from a school bus to cross a highway, or when a school bus is stopped for the purpose of loading children who must cross a highway to board the bus, or at any other time when it would be hazardous for vehicles to proceed past the stopped school bus. The operator of any vehicle upon meeting or overtaking a school bus which is displaying the flashing red lights visible from front or rear, is to stop their vehicle immediately before reaching the bus and may not proceed until the flashing red light signals cease operation. In the 1997 legislative session, the Utah State Legislature addressed the fact that this