NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. — Starting July 15, Kentucky motorists are required to stop for school and church buses that display a stop arm and flashing red lights in both directions on the majority of roadways, state and local officials said. The change specifically alters how drivers must behave on many four-lane roads.
What changed and why it matters
Under the revised law, motorists traveling in both directions on four-lane roadways must stop unless the roadway is separated by a raised barrier or an unpaved median. Lawmakers and police stressed that a center turn lane does not qualify as a median; traffic on both sides of such roads must now stop for a bus using its stop arm.
Nicholasville Police Public Information Officer Sam Wade said the update was meant to clear up confusion around larger roadways and to improve student safety ahead of the new school year.
"Historically, there's been some confusion on larger roadways. When should someone stop and someone shouldn't," Wade said. "Frankfort sought to clarify that by now, saying on the larger roads, the four-lane roads, that all traffic, both same direction and opposing direction, needs to stop."
Police said the law is already in effect and enforceable. That shifts how officers and local school systems will approach enforcement as students return to classes.
Enforcement and penalties
The legislation also broadened use of school bus stop-arm cameras. Violations captured by those cameras carry civil penalties.
- First offense caught on camera: $300
- Subsequent violations within three years: $500 each
- If the driver cannot be identified, the vehicle's registered owner may be held responsible unless they can show someone else was driving
| Violation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| First camera-captured offense | $300 |
| Each additional within 3 years | $500 |
Nicholasville officials noted that local bus drivers reported about 50 illegal passes captured on camera last year. The new clarity in state law aims to reduce those numbers and improve safety for children boarding and exiting buses.
Practical notes for drivers and owners
Motorists should be prepared to stop when approaching any school or church bus with its stop arm extended and red lights flashing, unless a raised barrier or unpaved median separates opposing traffic. Vehicle owners should also be aware that if they cannot identify the driver in a camera-captured violation, the registration holder may be held accountable.
Local law enforcement agencies will be able to enforce the rule immediately, and school districts will continue to rely on bus drivers and camera systems to document violations.
The change closes a gap that previously caused differing interpretations on multi-lane roads and gives police clearer authority to cite drivers who illegally pass stopped buses.
