What should you do if you encounter a school bus with flashing lights?

When you encounter a school bus with flashing lights, stopping your vehicle is the appropriate action to take. This rule is in place to protect the safety of children who may be boarding or disembarking from the bus. The flashing lights are a signal to drivers that the bus is either picking up or dropping off students, indicating that it is crucial to come to a complete stop to prevent any accidents or injuries.

In most jurisdictions, including Louisiana, the law requires vehicles to stop when the school bus has its red lights flashing and the stop arm extended. This law applies to traffic in both directions, unless there is a physical barrier separating the lanes. By stopping, you are contributing to the safety of the children and adhering to traffic regulations designed to protect young pedestrians.

The other choices involve actions that could endanger children and violate traffic laws. Passing the bus at a lower speed does not ensure the safety that stopping provides, while honking your horn might startle the children and create a chaotic situation. Continuing to drive normally disregards the warning signals and puts students at risk. Therefore, stopping your vehicle is the most responsible and lawful action to take in this situation.