Under North Carolina law, G.S. 20-217, drivers going either direction must stop when a school bus is stopped to let children off unless it is on a four or more lane highway divided by a median or a four or more lane road with a center turning lane. Drivers are not supposed to continue until the bus has completed dropping the children off and begun to move again.
The cue is the bus's lights. The bus will first flash yellow lights indicting it is about to stop.
Drivers who are convicted of passing school bus face a $500 fine, a hefty five points on their driver's record and are not eligible for a prayer for judgment.
A driver who passes a stopped school bus and hits someone will face a Class I felony and a minimum of $1,250. The penalty rises to a Class H felony and fine of $2,500 if someone is killed.