Article 56 of the Saudi Traffic Law
المادة 56 من نظام المرور · الباب الخامس: قواعد السير على الطرق
The article prohibits overtaking school transport buses when they stop to load or unload, and leaves the necessary conditions to the Implementing Regulations.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يحظر تجاوز حافلات النقل المدرسي عند توقفها للتحميل أو للتنزيل. وتحدد اللائحة الشروط اللازمة لذلك.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 56 explained in plain English
This article protects students as they board and leave school transport buses, and it prohibits overtaking school transport buses when they stop to load or unload.
It is clear from the text that the prohibition relates to a specific situation in which three elements come together:
- The bus is a school transport bus.
- It is stopped.
- It has stopped to load or unload.
The article does not detail the conditions necessary to apply the prohibition, but provides that the Implementing Regulations set the necessary conditions, so they should be consulted for the details. The article also does not state a penalty for violating this prohibition.
The article comes within the traffic rules, alongside Article 55, which requires pedestrians to walk in the places designated for them as set by the Implementing Regulations, and Article 57, which requires vehicle drivers and passengers to use seat belts and child seats while traveling on roads. These articles share the aim of protecting road users, including children.
If a violation of this kind has been recorded against you and you believe its elements were not met, you can consult a lawyer specializing in traffic cases.
Practical example
A school bus stopped in a neighborhood in Taif to drop off female students in front of their homes, and a driver behind it, who was in a hurry, wanted to overtake it. This overtaking is prohibited by the text of the article as long as the bus is stopped to unload, under the conditions set by the Implementing Regulations.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 56 of the Saudi Traffic Law
Is it permitted to overtake a school bus?
Overtaking school transport buses is prohibited when they stop to load or unload, and the Implementing Regulations set the necessary conditions.
Does the prohibition cover a school bus while it is moving?
The text ties the prohibition to the bus stopping to load or unload, and the detailed conditions are set by the Implementing Regulations.
More articles on Rules of the Road
- Article 11
The article requires the vehicle license to be in the vehicle while it travels, lets a security officer ask to see it, and bars him from retaining it.
يجب أن تكون رخصة سير المركبة موجودة بها أثناء سيرها، ولرجل الأمن حق طلب إبرازها للاطلاع عليها، وليس له حجزها.
- Article 30
The article requires a trailer, or a broken-down vehicle when it is towed, to be fitted with rear and side lights or reflectors that allow it to be seen.
يجب تزويد المقطورة ، أو المركبة المتعطلة - عند سحبها - بأنوار أو عاكسات خلفية وجانبية تسمح برؤيتها.
- Article 31
The article requires large vehicles, such as trucks, buses and public works vehicles, and animal-drawn vehicles to be fitted with lights or reflective strips at the rear and on both sides.
يجب تزويد المركبات الكبيرة، كالشاحنات والحافلات ومركبات الأشغال العامة، وتلك التي تجرها الحيوانات ؛ بأنوار إضاءة أو شرائح عاكسة توضع في المؤخرة وعلى جانبي هذه ا
- Article 33
The article requires the driver to carry a valid driving license when driving a vehicle, lets a security officer ask to see it, and bars him from retaining it.
يجب على السائق أن يحمل رخصة قيادة سارية المفعول عند قيادته للمركبة، ولرجل الأمن حق طلب إبرازها للاطلاع عليها، وليس له حجزها.
- Article 51
The article makes road signs, reflectors, and signposts attached to the law part of it, and requires drivers to comply with them and with instructions from the competent authorities in accordance with the law and its regulations.
تعد علامات الطريق و العاكسات و الشاخصات الملحقة بهذا النظام جزءا منه، ويجب على السائق التقيد بها وبالتعليمات الصادرة من الجهات المختصة، وفقا لأحكام هذا النظام و
- Article 52
The article prohibits damaging, tampering with, or moving road signs, reflectors, and signposts, and any act that reduces their importance and clarity or undermines their internationally agreed meaning.
يحظر إتلاف علامات الطريق و العاكسات و الشاخصات ، أو العبث بها، أو نقلها، أو القيام بأي تصرف يجعلها أقل أهمية ووضوحا، أو يؤدي إلى الإخلال بالمفهوم العام المتفق ع
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.