Why do School Buses stop at rail Road Tracks?

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because it's the law...Show more

School buses stop at railroad crossings to veiw whether or not a train is approaching it is a safety precaution. There is nothing dangerous about it unless, they actually stop on the tracks. Think about it what if the signals and signs are not working correctly and a train is near by, would you rather the train just take it's chances or STOP! to be safe. I can't believe you asked this question, but I hope you have a better understanding....Show more

Because trains go FAST and busses do not.
Plus if it breaks down, so long and so full of kids, ick.

Trains have been known to come up so fast no one saw them coming. So bus drivers must pull up, open the door (by law!) and not only look but listen for a train. Then they cross the tracks. If a train comes, quickly, there is little time to hurl a long heavy bus out of the way. And busses are used for years and years, unlike most zippy cars that are replaced more often....Show more

For safety reasons, obviously. Although the chances of accident may be low, the consequences of even a minor incident are so great that extreme caution are necessary.
If you consider the chance of faulty crossing signals (greater than you'd like to think), the possibility of limited visibility (lots of windows but also lots of heads in the way, just to name one) and most definitely, the level of noise and distraction created by all the little darlings you're trying to protect, it is essential that they stop. As a driver waiting behind them in traffic for their constant stops, it may get frustrating at times, but it is a small price to pay for the greater safety that it creates for everyone....Show more

have you not seen the BBC/National Rail video of a people carrier getting hit by a train? Watch it, and maybe you'll understand why bus drivers don't want to get stuck on the tracks in front of a train....Show more