School zone flashers across the Clear Lake area will begin operating on their normal schedule Friday, Aug. 7, two days before the first students return to campus.
Clear Creek ISD, which serves students in Webster, Seabrook, Nassau Bay and parts of Friendswood, starts classes Wednesday, Aug. 12. New CCISD students have a transition day Tuesday, Aug. 11. Friendswood ISD's first day is Tuesday, Aug. 18.
The Friendswood Police Department said Wednesday, Aug. 5, that officers will be actively monitoring school zones and enforcing parking regulations to protect pedestrians. The department published transportation safety tips in its quarterly On Patrol Newsletter.
Texas school bus stop law
Texas law requires drivers traveling in both directions to stop when a school bus has its red lights flashing and stop sign extended. The only exception: roads with a physical, unpaved median separating lanes, where opposite-direction traffic may continue with caution.
Violating that law is a misdemeanor under Texas Transportation Code Section 545.066. A first offense carries a fine between $500 and $1,250.
The stakes are real. In 2025, seven people were killed and 85 were seriously injured in 2,358 crashes involving school buses statewide, according to TxDOT. Speeding and distracted driving were the top contributing factors.
Clear Creek ISD operates a fleet of 300 buses across the district.
What drivers need to know
According to a League City civic alert published Aug. 5:
- Stop for any school bus with flashing red lights, regardless of your direction of travel.
- You may proceed only after the bus moves, the lights stop flashing or the driver signals you to pass.
- Use extra caution backing out of driveways in the morning, when children walk to bus stops.
- If you have a teen driver, make sure they understand these laws before school starts.
TxDOT also advises students to stand far back from the curb while waiting, wait until the bus fully stops and the driver signals before boarding, and cross only in front of the bus while making eye contact with the driver.
Broader enforcement climate
The Harris County Sheriff's Office announced Operation Slowdown on July 29 on X, a countywide campaign targeting speeding and dangerous driving that was scheduled to run through Aug. 2. That effort deployed additional deputies across Harris County in the days immediately before school zone flashers activate.
Meanwhile, the Seabrook Police Department is collecting shelf-stable snacks for students through Aug. 14 in partnership with the Bay Area Alliance, with drop-offs accepted at the police department.
Friendswood ISD families looking for enrollment and logistics details can find them in the district's back-to-school guide, which we published Aug. 5.
School zone flashers go live Friday. The fines start at $500.
