School Bus Endorsement School Bus Endorsement Passenger Safety & Emergency Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the school bus driver required to do at the end of each route before leaving the vehicle?
- Walk the entire bus to check for sleeping or hiding students (Correct answer)
- Sign the vehicle log and exit immediately
- Check only the rear seats for forgotten items
- Only verify the rear emergency door is latched
Correct answer: Walk the entire bus to check for sleeping or hiding students
Drivers must walk the entire length of the bus to prevent any child from being left behind, which can result in death in hot weather.
Question 2: When a school bus stalls on a railroad crossing with students on board, what should the driver do FIRST?
- Immediately evacuate all students away from the tracks at a 45-degree angle in the direction of any oncoming train (Correct answer)
- Stay on the bus and call for help
- Try to restart the engine before evacuating
- Evacuate students to the side of the road nearest the tracks
Correct answer: Immediately evacuate all students away from the tracks at a 45-degree angle in the direction of any oncoming train
Immediate evacuation away from the tracks in the direction of an oncoming train minimizes the danger from debris if a collision occurs.
Question 3: Under what condition may a school bus driver use a handheld cell phone while driving?
- Never; handheld cell phone use while driving a school bus is federally prohibited (Correct answer)
- Only to call dispatch in an emergency
- When students are not on board
- Only at speeds below 25 mph
Correct answer: Never; handheld cell phone use while driving a school bus is federally prohibited
Federal regulations ban all handheld cell phone use by CMV drivers, including school bus drivers, at any speed with or without students on board.
Question 4: What is the school bus danger zone?
- The area within 10 feet around all sides of the bus where students are at greatest risk (Correct answer)
- Only the area directly behind the rear bumper
- The space 50 feet ahead of the front bumper
- The bus interior when children are standing in the aisle
Correct answer: The area within 10 feet around all sides of the bus where students are at greatest risk
The danger zone extends 10 feet on all sides of the bus where the driver has limited visibility and students are most at risk of being struck.
Question 5: If a student misbehaves severely enough to distract the driver, what is the safest course of action?
- Pull over safely, stop the bus, and address the behavior before continuing (Correct answer)
- Turn around and discipline the student while driving slowly
- Ignore the behavior and focus on driving
- Open the bus radio and announce the student's name
Correct answer: Pull over safely, stop the bus, and address the behavior before continuing
Stopping the bus before addressing discipline issues prevents the driver from being distracted while the vehicle is in motion.
Question 6: When approaching a bus stop in a residential area, at what distance should the school bus driver activate the amber warning lights?
- 200 feet before the stop in a 45 mph or less zone (Correct answer)
- 500 feet before the stop at all times
- 50 feet before the stop to alert nearby pedestrians
- Only when another vehicle is directly behind the bus
Correct answer: 200 feet before the stop in a 45 mph or less zone
Amber warning lights must be activated approximately 200 feet before stopping in areas posted 45 mph or less to warn following traffic.
School Bus Endorsement School Bus Endorsement Passenger Safety & Emergency Procedures 2
What is the school bus driver required to do at the end of each route before leaving the vehicle?