It is dangerous for students to retrieve dropped items because doing so could cause them to disappear from the driver's view at a crucial moment. If an item is dropped, the student should get out of the bus's danger zones, get the attention of the driver, and ask the driver to retrieve the item.

An encroachment during the basic vehicle control skills test is when an exercise boundary line is touched or crossed by any portion of the applicant's vehicle. Every encroachment will be counted as an error.

It is essential that school bus drivers check all of the bus's mirrors before operating the vehicle. You should always have a maximum viewing area that is consistent with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. If necessary, have the positioning of the mirrors adjusted.

The driver of a school bus should observe students as they enter or exit the bus to ensure that they are not caught in the door or handrails. It is also important to make sure the students have moved a safe distance away from the unloading area after they have exited the bus.

When checking the oil pressure gauge as part of a vehicle inspection test, you must ensure that it is working. The gauge should show increasing or normal oil pressure, or the oil pressure warning light should turn off. If equipped with one, the oil temperature gauge should begin a gradual rise to the normal operating range.

You will be asked to make multiple lane changes during the driving skills test. Before changing lanes, you should make the necessary traffic checks and use proper signals. Change lanes smoothly when you can do so safely.

If you must come to a stop before making a turn during the driving skills test, you should come to a smooth stop behind any stop line, crosswalk, or stop sign. Keep your front wheels aimed straight ahead and do not let your vehicle roll. If stopping behind another vehicle, stop where you are still able to see the rear tires of the vehicle ahead of you.

During the basic vehicle control skills test, a pull-up will be scored any time an applicant stops and pulls forward to gain a better position. Stopping without changing direction will not. An excessive number of pull-ups will count as errors.

When examining your tires during the vehicle inspection test, you should ensure that treads are evenly worn.

A school bus should stop at least 10 feet away from students who are being picked up at a bus stop. This forces the students to walk toward the bus, allowing the driver to observe their movements and better monitor their locations.

Once students have boarded a school bus, the driver should wait to move the bus until all of the passengers are seated and looking forward.

You may be asked to complete a parallel parking maneuver into a parking space that is to the left of your vehicle. You should drive past the parking space before backing into it while bringing the rear of your vehicle as close to the rear of the space as possible. Your vehicle should be completely within the boundaries of the space.

In general, school bus drivers should stop before any railroad crossings to check the tracks for approaching trains. Drivers should stop no closer than 15 feet, and no farther than 50 feet, from the nearest rail in order to have the best view of the tracks. They should look and listen for approaching trains before proceeding through the crossing.

On a school bus, outside convex mirrors should be adjusted to allow the driver to see at least one traffic lane on either side of the bus; the entire side of the bus up to the mirror mounts; and where the front of each rear tire touches the ground.

Maneuvers that may be included in the basic vehicle control skills test include straight line backing, offset back/right parking, offset back/left parking, driver side parallel parking, conventional parallel parking, and alley docking.

On a school bus, the outside right and left side mirrors should be adjusted so the driver can see 200 feet (or four bus lengths) behind the bus.

If its Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) is not working, a vehicle will still retain its normal braking power. The driver should continue to drive and brake in a normal fashion.

When approaching a bus stop, a school bus driver should come to a full stop at least 10 feet away from the waiting students. By forcing the students to walk to the bus, the driver is better able to keep an eye on their movements and location.

A school bus driver should not alter the location of a bus stop without written authorization of the appropriate school district officials.

All mirrors on a school bus should be checked and adjusted before beginning a trip. Proper mirror adjustment is vital to the safety of all students and surrounding vehicles.