As kids go back to school, it's time for a refresher course on one thing many drivers get wrong.
When is it OK to pass a stopped school bus when the driver has put the stop bar is out? Get it wrong and you could get a $500 ticket in both North and South Carolina.
If you're on a two-lane road, both directions need to stop.
If you're on a road with three or more lanes, you need to stop if you're traveling in the same direction as the bus. If you're traveling in the opposite direction and there's a median, you can keep going.
If you are on a road with a turn lane in the middle, cars going in both directions are required to stop.
If there is a median or an island between the opposing directions, traffic going the same direction as the bus needs to stop. Opposing traffic does not.
The bottom line is this: the only scenario you're NOT required to stop is when you are driving in the opposite direction as a bus on a divided highway.
You are not allowed to resume driving until the red lights stop flashing and the stop bar is retracted.
Remember that some school buses now have cameras that will catch you in the act. NBC Charlotte's KJ Hiramoto contributed to this report.
