Is it true that it is mandatory to yield to buses stopped at bus stops?
Although many drivers doubt, the regulations are clear: when leaving a marked stop, buses have priority and other vehicles must allow them to merge. Reducing speed or even stopping is not just courtesy, it is mandatory.
When a bus is about to leave its marked stop, many drivers wonder: do I have to stop and let it merge or is it enough to keep driving?
The traffic regulations in Spain clarify this situation in quite some detail, and the answer is not always as simple as it seems.
Merging always requires caution
According to the General Traffic Regulation, any vehicle merging onto the road —whether from a parking space, a private road, or a stop— must do so ensuring that it does not create danger and yielding to the traffic already on the road.
This also applies to buses: they cannot burst onto the road without looking or signaling, much less force others to brake suddenly.
The obligation to facilitate the maneuver
Now, here comes the important nuance: the rest of the drivers also have a duty. Article 73 states that the maneuver must be facilitated, especially when it is an urban bus leaving a marked stop.
This implies reducing speed, moving laterally if there is space, and even stopping if necessary.
“Other drivers will facilitate, as much as possible, this maneuver, especially if it is a collective passenger transport vehicle intending to merge into traffic from a marked stop,” points out the aforementioned article of the General Traffic Regulation.
In other words: although the bus must signal its intention and act with caution, the driver of the car or other vehicle has a legal obligation to help it resume its movement. And if they do not, they may be committing a violation.
What happens in the city?
Within populated areas, this obligation becomes even stronger. The regulation indicates that drivers must cooperate so that collective transport buses can leave stops smoothly.
“In populated areas, in order to facilitate the circulation of collective passenger transport vehicles, drivers of other vehicles must move laterally, whenever possible, or reduce their speed, even stopping if necessary,” explains the regulation.
This responds to a practical reason: to ensure that public transport service is not unnecessarily delayed.
Fine for not yielding to a bus
In the case that a collective transport vehicle, generally a bus, signals its intention to merge into traffic, we must yield to it. But, what happens if we do not?
This violation is considered a serious offense and carries a fine of 200 euros and the deduction of up to four points from the driving license. It is, therefore, no joke.
The conclusion is that yes, it is true: drivers must yield to buses that start from a marked stop, as long as they signal correctly and do so safely. It is not a matter of courtesy, but of regulation.
The next time you see a bus turn on its indicator to leave the stop, remember that your obligation is to make it easy: lift your foot, reduce speed, and even stop if necessary.
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