Wisconsin School Buses to be Equipped with Cautionary Signal

New State Regulation states buses must have amber lights to alert drivers before red warning lights

Under new Wisconsin state regulations, school buses built after January 1, 2005, must have amber lights to alert drivers that the bus is about to activate its flashing red warning lights, while coming to a stop. The new regulation goes into effect August 16, 2016.

Stopping for red flashing lights on buses has been a state law for decades. Violating the law results in a minimum fine of $326.50 and four demerit points. The law does not apply to vehicles traveling in the opposite direction of a school bus on a divided highway separated by a median or other physical barrier. However, the law does apply if there is no median or barrier on a multiple-lane road.

According the the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, school buses are the safest form of transportation for students going to and from school and extra curricular activities.

To help maintain their safety record, the State Patrol inspects every school bus in Wisconsin every year for a total of about 11,000 inspections annually.