School crossing patrols and zebra crossings: when you must stop
It is home time at a primary school. Give way at a zebra crossing, stay behind the car in front and stop for the school crossing patrol.
The short version
- Near a school, slow down and watch the gaps between parked cars.
- Never overtake the vehicle nearest a zebra crossing, and never wave people across.
- A school crossing patrol’s STOP sign is the law: stop and wait until they are back on the pavement.
Step 1
A school sign, a 20 mph limit and parked cars ahead. Children are walking home.
What do you do?
✓ Go no faster than 20 mph, cover the brake and watch the gaps between parked cars for children. Children are small, hard to see behind parked cars and can run out without looking. Going slowly gives you time to stop.
Why not the other options
- ✗ Drive at the limit, 20 mph is already slow. The limit is a maximum, not a target. Near a school at home time, be ready to go slower still and to stop.
- ✗ Sound your horn as you pass the children so they stay on the pavement. The horn is only to warn of danger. It can startle a child into the road.
- ✗ Drive in the middle of the road to keep away from the parked cars. That puts you in the way of oncoming traffic. Stay in your lane, slow down and leave a safe gap from the parked cars.
Step 2
The car in front is slowing down as it nears the zebra crossing.
The other side of the road is clear. Can you overtake it?
✓ No. Slow down and stop behind it. You MUST NOT overtake the vehicle nearest a crossing. It may be slowing for someone you cannot see, and you would arrive on the crossing just as they step out.
Why not the other options
- ✗ Yes, if you are quick and the road is clear. Overtaking the vehicle nearest a crossing is against the law, however clear the other side looks.
- ✗ Yes, but sound your horn as you pass. The horn does not make an illegal overtake safe, and it can frighten people on the crossing.
- ✗ Only if the driver in front waves you past. A wave does not change the law. You cannot see what the driver in front has seen, so stay behind.
Step 3
The car in front moves off. A man is waiting at the kerb on the right to cross.
What do you do?
✓ Stop before the crossing and let him cross. Move off once he is clear of your side. Give way to people waiting at a zebra, not only to those already on it. You are close and slow, so stopping is easy.
Why not the other options
- ✗ Wave him across. Waving someone across can lead them into the path of a vehicle you have not seen. Just stop and let them choose when to go.
- ✗ Drive on, he has not stepped onto the crossing yet. He is waiting to cross and you can easily stop. The Highway Code says you should give way to him.
- ✗ Flash your headlights so he knows he can go. Flashing only tells people you are there. It is not an invitation, and he could step out in front of other traffic.
Step 4
A school crossing patrol is holding up a STOP sign and stepping into the road.
What must you do?
✓ Stop, and stay stopped while the patrol is in the road. It is the law: you MUST stop when a school crossing patrol shows the STOP sign.
Why not the other options
- ✗ Slow down and steer around the patrol. The patrol is stopping traffic so children can cross. Driving round them could hit a child crossing behind.
- ✗ Keep going if you are already close. You are going slowly and have plenty of room. The sign means stop, and you MUST obey it.
- ✗ Stop only once children are in the road. You MUST stop as soon as the sign is shown, whether or not the children have started to cross.
Step 5
The children have reached the other pavement. The patrol is walking back to the kerb.
When can you move off?
✓ When the patrol is back on the pavement and you have checked for more children. The patrol controls the road until they step back. A late child often runs to catch up with friends.
Why not the other options
- ✗ Now, the children are across. The patrol is still in the road and in your path. Wait until they are back on the pavement.
- ✗ Now, by steering round the patrol. Never drive round a patrol in the road. They may turn back to help another child across.
- ✗ As soon as the van on the other side moves. Do not follow other drivers. Check for yourself that the patrol and every child are off the road.
The rules behind it
- Rule 208 Near schools, drive slowly and look out for children on foot and on bikes. A flashing amber light under a school sign means children may be crossing: drive very slowly until you are clear.
- Rule 191 You MUST NOT park on a crossing or its zig-zag lines, and you MUST NOT overtake the moving vehicle nearest the crossing or the vehicle nearest it that has stopped to let people cross.
- Rule 195 At a zebra crossing, look out for people waiting and be ready to stop. You MUST give way to anyone on the crossing and should give way to anyone waiting to cross. Do not wave them across or use your horn.
- Rule 210 Look out for school crossing patrols. You MUST stop when a patrol shows a "Stop for children" sign.
More situations
Based on the Highway Code and the Road Traffic Act 1988 as published on GOV.UK in October 2026, in our own words; follow the links for the full text. Insurance points are common UK insurer policy terms, so check your own policy. This is not legal advice. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.