No one wants to cause a school bus accident in Maryland, so don't leave it to chance. Follow these few safety tips when driving near a full school bus:

Avoid sudden stops.

When possible, avoid braking suddenly, particularly if a school bus is directly behind you. They may not be as large as a semi-truck, but buses are still big enough to require extra stopping distance.

Increase following distance.

If you're following a school bus, make sure you leave them plenty of room. School buses make frequent stops, so avoid following too closely and being taken by surprise when they stop.

Stop for flashing lights.

School bus drivers don't flash their lights just to annoy nearby drivers. They are signaling that children are about to cross the road. State law requires other drivers to stop when these lights are flashing. Once the lights are turned off, proceed with caution while watching to make sure no children are still in the road.

Be patient!

It's easy to get impatient when driving near a slow-moving school bus that makes frequent stops, but remember that the bus driver has the safety of dozens of young passengers in mind. Consider the safety of the children, and exercise a little patience and extra caution when passing the bus.