As the father of Six school age children in Georgia I must admit that I don't have a lot of sympathy for people who are in too big of a hurry to abide by this code section. As you can see there is a requirement that the "visual signs" be in operation as defined by the two code sections I show below. If the bus is stopped and the lights are on, the fact that the stop sign is not fully extended will not help you. If you are guilty of passing a school bus it would not matter how many people were doing it with you. You can still be stopped.
It looks like you will not win if you fight this ticket.
40-6-163.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, the driver of a vehicle meeting or overtaking from either direction any school bus stopped on the highway shall stop before reaching such school bus when there are in operation on the school bus the visual signals as specified in Code Sections 40-8-111 and 40-8-115, and such driver shall not proceed until the school bus resumes motion or the visual signals are no longer actuated.
(b) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway with separate roadways need not stop upon meeting or passing a school bus which is on a different roadway, or upon a controlled-access highway when the school bus is stopped in a loading zone which is a part of or adjacent to such highway and where pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway.
(c) Every school bus driver who observes a violation of subsection (a) of this Code section is authorized and directed to record specifically the vehicle description, license number of the offending vehicle, and time and place of occurrence on forms furnished by the Department of Public Safety. Such report shall be submitted within 15 days of the occurrence of the violation to the local law enforcement agency which has law enforcement jurisdiction where the alleged offense occurred.
40-8-111.
(a) Each school bus used for the transportation of school children in the State of Georgia shall be in compliance with the State Board of Education bus specifications for the model year of such school bus.
(b) Each public school system shall be required to maintain each of its school buses in good working condition, including all safety equipment required in accordance with the specifications established pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section.
(c) Nothing in subsection (a) of this Code section shall apply to motor vehicles operated by a local transit system which transport school children to and from school on regular or scheduled routes of a transit vehicle with regular fare-paying passengers.
40-8-115.
This part shall not prohibit the use of a school bus as defined in paragraph (55) of Code Section 40-1-1 for special school route service, provided it shall meet the following identification and equipment requirements:
(1) The bus need not be painted yellow or black;
(2) The bus shall be equipped with four hooded or recessed red flasher lights, or four red flasher lights and four amber flasher lights mounted on the same horizontal centerline as the red lights and nearer the centerline. Such amber lights shall be at least two and one-half times brighter than the red lights. The system shall be wired so that the amber signal lights are activated only by manual or foot operation and if activated are automatically deactivated and the red signal lights activated when the bus entrance door is opened; and
(3) While transporting children to or from school, the bus shall be equipped with the following temporary signs, located conspicuously on the front and back of such vehicle:
(A) The sign on the front shall have the words 'SCHOOL BUS' printed in black letters not less than six inches high, on a background of National School Bus Glossy Yellow; and
(B) The sign on the rear shall be at least ten square feet in size and shall be painted National School Bus Glossy Yellow and have the words 'SCHOOL BUS' printed in black letters not less than eight inches high.
