Final answer:
You should stop no less than 20 feet away from a stopped school bus with flashing lights, which ensures the safety of children boarding or departing the bus and can be roughly equivalent to just over one car length.
Step-by-step explanation:
When approaching a stopped school bus with flashing lights, it is important for the safety of the students that you stop your vehicle at an appropriate distance. The specific distance can vary by state or country, but a general rule is to stop no less than 20 feet away from the bus. This distance provides a safe space for children to enter or exit the bus and cross the street if necessary.
When we look at safety distances relative to vehicles on the road, stopping distances can be considered in terms of car lengths. One car length is typically considered to be about 15 to 20 feet, so stopping about 20 feet away from a school bus can be roughly equated to stopping a little more than one car length away.