Independent learning reference with original examples. Not official test questions or an individual licensing decision. Current official rules and your licence conditions apply.
Practise sharing the road →Read the bus lights before choosing an action
Amber flashing lights mean slow down and proceed cautiously. When red flashing lights are activated, stop. Approaching from the opposite direction on an undivided highway also requires a stop; an empty lane between you and the bus does not by itself create the divided-highway exception.
| What you see | What SGI says to check |
|---|---|
| Amber flashing lights | Slow down and proceed with caution. |
| Red lights and stop arm | Stop at least 5 m from the front or back. |
| Red lights switched off, arm withdrawn | Check that children have safely crossed before moving. |
Do not confuse more lanes with a divided highway
SGI exempts traffic travelling in the opposite direction on a divided highway. This concerns the roadway separation and direction, not merely the number of painted lanes. A same-direction driver does not gain that exemption by moving to another lane.
Some Saskatchewan communities have bylaws prohibiting bus stop arms and flashing red stop lamps. SGI discusses passing in those communities and cautions drivers around buses using four-way hazard lights. Do not treat a hazard flasher as a red school-bus stop signal, or the local distinction as permission to ignore children.
Source: SGI handbook — Sharing the road, school buses ↗Resolve the road layout, then the signal
Original worked examples
Two-way road: a bus across the centre line has red lamps flashing. There is no divided highway. Stop rather than assuming only traffic behind the bus is affected.
Same carriageway: you travel behind a stopped bus on a divided road. The opposite-direction exception does not apply to you. Changing lanes is not a way around the stop.
Lamp changes: the arm withdraws, but a child is still crossing ahead. The light changing is not a reason to move into the child’s path. Check that the crossing is complete.
Keep the clearance and the child check separate
The five-metre minimum is measured from the bus, not from the nearest child. Leaving the minimum space does not complete every duty: you must remain stopped until the flashing red stop lamps and arm are deactivated, then check the children.
If a practice answer includes the correct distance but says to move while red lights still flash, it is still wrong. Read the complete choice, including what it says about restarting.
Source: SGI handbook — Sharing the road, school buses ↗Study the rule without importing another province’s number
Make a short note containing Saskatchewan, the lights, direction, road division and clearance. Then explain a missed question without looking at the choices. This prevents a remembered distance from another province becoming your automatic answer.
Our sharing-the-road questions are free and original. The official SGI section contains the broader context for other vulnerable road users. These examples do not replace watching the actual bus, crossing children and road controls.