Motorists approaching a school bus stopped with its red signal lights flashing must stop unless what condition is met?

Motorists approaching a school bus with its red signal lights flashing are required to stop to ensure the safety of children boarding or disembarking from the bus. However, there is a specific condition where stopping is not necessary: when the road is divided by a median.

A median serves as a physical barrier separating opposing lanes of traffic. In this scenario, vehicles traveling in the opposite direction of the bus are not likely to endanger the children getting on or off the bus, as they are separated from the area where the children are present. This helps facilitate a smoother flow of traffic without compromising safety.

The other options do not provide valid exceptions to the requirement to stop. Loading and unloading conditions and the number of lanes do not influence the safety dynamics involved. Thus, understanding the role of a median in traffic laws related to school buses is crucial for motorists to ensure compliance with safety regulations.