LONGVIEW, Feb. 14, 2012--The Longview Police Department wants to remind drivers to use caution when they approach or pass, from either direction, a school bus, especially loading and unloading.  State law prohibits drivers from passing school buses when the bus is operating a visual signal and shall stop before reaching the school bus when the bus is operating a visual signal and may not proceed until:

• the school bus resumes motion;
• the operator is signaled by the bus driver to proceed;  or
• the visual signal is no longer actuated.

An Operator is not required to stop if the highway has separate roadways and the bus is on a different roadway.  The law defines a separate roadway as a roadway that has intervening space or where vehicles are not permitted to drive, a physical barrier, or clearly indicated section constructed to impede vehicular flow. 

A highway is NOT CONSIDERED to have separate roadways if the roadway is only separated by a left turn lane.