FACT BRIEFIs it illegal to pass a school bus in Nevada?
Yes.
Passing a school bus with flashing red lights is illegal under Nevada law.
Drivers must stop when a school bus is stopped with red flashing lights and its stop sign extended, regardless of the direction from which the driver is approaching.
If a road is physically divided by a median, drivers in the lane across the median from the bus do not need to stop.
Penalties for violating the law range from a fine of $250 for the first offense, to a fine of up to $1,000 and a driver’s license suspension of up to one year for the third or subsequent offense.
The only exception: If a traffic officer is directing vehicles, drivers must follow that person’s directions instead of the bus signals.
A law enacted in 2025 authorizes school districts to install cameras on school buses to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped buses.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
The Nevada Independent partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims.
Sources
- Nevada Legislature NRS484B.353
- Nevada Legislature AB527
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