[Editor’s note:  This posting is taken from an article that appears on the Fairfax County website. The editorial team feels that this information is so vital to the safety and security of our residents that it wanted to amplify the message by posting it here. The team encourages everyone to read the original article, which also discusses the importance of paying attention to school zones and crossing guards.]

With more than a million residents, our roads are normally busy, but school buses add an extra layer of vehicles. While it may be tempting if you’re in a hurry, it is never OK to pass a school bus, speed through a school zone or ignore a crossing guard’s direction.

Fairfax County Public Schools runs more than 1,600 buses daily. And if you drive, there’s no doubt you will encounter FCPS and private school buses. The rules are pretty simple if you encounter a school bus with flashing red lights:

Drivers must stop in both directions, unless separated from the bus by a median. That’s it.