How many feet prior to reaching the loading zone should you activate the warning lights?

The correct choice specifies that you should activate the warning lights 300 to 100 feet before reaching the loading zone. This timing is crucial because it provides adequate warning to other drivers and enhances safety for the children boarding or exiting the bus. By turning on the lights within this distance, it alerts motorists to slow down and prepare to stop, as school bus loading zones are often areas where children might unexpectedly enter the road.

This distance strikes a balance between ensuring other vehicles have enough time to react and the need to minimize delays for the children who are boarding or exiting the bus. This practice helps to create a safer environment and is an important protocol for school bus drivers to follow in order to protect the students.