There is a Judas Priest song called “Breaking the Law” and I think about that song title often when I’m on the road. It simply never ceases to amaze me at how many bad drivers there are out there. From following someone else too closely to changing lanes or turning without using your turn signal, it seems like the possibilities for bad driving are endless! Depending on where in the country you live, the laws for the roadways may be different. For example, if you live in the Washington D.C. area, there are certain rules that drivers have to follow when getting on the highway and into the left lanes, which are designated for high occupancy vehicles (H.O.V. ) only. If you get caught driving in the HOV lane with no one else in your vehicle except for you, then you stand a good chance of getting pulled over by a police officer and cited for breaking the law.
Another rule that is pretty much standard everywhere within the United States relates to people, children and school buses. Whenever you see a school bus put on what looks like hazard lights, you must slow down (leaving a safe distance between you and the school bus) and wait until the school bus turns its lights off and starts to drive again. Depending on the type of road you are on, all traffic may have to yield to the school bus. It is a serious infringement of the law to pass a stopped school bus. For those people who may be confused, many school buses nowadays also have a “Stop” sign that extends out from the side of the bus indicating that vehicles need to stop. If you are caught passing a stopped school bus, you will get a significant chunk of points tacked onto your license which can lead to other problems. Additionally, the last thing you want to have happen is for you to pass a stopped school bus and then strike a child who is crossing the street.