Don't ignore school bus stop signs, motorists warned

Drivers who flout the rules face fines of Dh1,000

 Motorists should halt at least five metres behind parked school buses to ensure pupil safety. Pawan Singh / The National  

Motorists must halt when they see a school bus open its red stop sign, police have warned.

Abu Dhabi Police on Wednesday said motorists should wait at least five metres behind to ensure pupil safety.

School bus drivers are expected to flash the stop signs on their vehicles when they pick up pupils or let them disembark.

The sign indicates to other road users that they must wait to pass until all children are safely out of the way.

The warning comes as pupils across the country return to school.

"On single-lane roads, drivers in both directions should stop at a distance of at least five metres if the school bus sign is open," said police.

"On a dual carriageway, the driver headed in the same direction of the bus must stop."

Drivers who flout the rules face a fine of Dh1,000 and 10 black points on their driving licences. Bus drivers can also be fined Dh500 and slapped six black points.

Police said traffic patrols will be stepped up to catch anyone breaking the rules roads.