Can you clarify the law regarding passing a stopped school bus?

Actually, the part that drivers need to remember is rather simple. Illinois law states that it is illegal to pass a school bus (with its stop sign arm out and red lights flashing) that is stopped to pick up or discharge pupils. If you receive a ticket for this offense, YOU MUST appear in court. If you are convicted, your driver’s license will be suspended for three months. (It’s longer for the second conviction.)

What about streets that are wider than 2 lanes?

This is a great question and one that always gets asked. Here's the answer... The driver of a vehicle on a road having 4 or more lanes which permits at least 2 lanes of traffic to travel in the opposite direction, does not have to stop upon meeting a school bus that is stopped in the opposite direction. (An example of this is Hawthorn Parkway.) However, you still have to stop if a bus is stopped to pick up or discharge pupils in a lane going the same direction as you are.

By the way, the bus drivers also do their part to help educate motorists. When one of them sees a vehicle that doesn't stop when required, he/she will pass the information along to VHPD. We then send a letter to the registered owner explaining the violation. It includes a date and time of the violation, location, and a description of the vehicle. The letter carries no penalty, nor is it any kind of "mark" against anyone's driving record. It's just a friendly reminder of the law.