The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released data that shows 104 people died in school-transportation-related crashes in 2022. There were also 12,500 injuries that year, with 6,000 school bus passengers injured.
With back-to-school season in full swing, the NHTSA is reminding everyone to stay alert and drive safely. Watch out for school buses and bus stops where children are likely to be present.
Drivers Must Be More Careful Around School Buses
According to the Schoolbus Fleet, over 484,000 school buses provided daily transportation services in the U.S. in the 2022-23 school year. About 21.4 million elementary and secondary school children ride school buses to and from school each day.
In 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (DOT) reported 262 school bus crashes, resulting in 315 injuries and one fatality.
Pennsylvania’s current school bus stopping law requires motorists to stop at least 10 feet away from buses with red lights flashing and the stop arm extended. Those traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all the children have reached safety.
Breaking the school bus stopping law in Pennsylvania results in a fine totaling $250, along with five points on the driving record and a 60-day license suspension.
Increased Penalties for Careless Drivers in Pennsylvania?
In 2023, the Pennsylvania State Senate passed Bill 827 to increase financial penalties on drivers who fail to adhere to the law when around school buses. If signed into law, it would allow judges to increase fines and create a requirement that repeat offenders complete a PennDOT Driving Improvement School.
In a memo supporting the bill, Senator Lisa Baker noted that about 1,000 drivers each year are convicted of passing a school bus with signals flashing. Many more citations are issued without resulting in a conviction.
At last update, the bill was headed to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Traffic Safety Reminders for Children and Drivers
In an August 14, 2024 press release, the NHTSA alerted the public to be alert as children head back to school. NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman also urged parents to “please talk to your kids” about road safety.
To make it easy, parents can teach the SAFE system for children riding school buses:
- Stay at least ten feet away from the curb (five giant steps).
- Always wait for the bus to stop completely and for the bus driver to signal that it’s safe to board.
- Face forward after finding a seat.
- Exit the bus after it stops, wait for the driver to signal it’s safe to cross, then look left and right, then right and left again before crossing the street. Always cross in front of the bus, never behind.
The AAA Foundation adds tips for drivers to be sure to keep children safe around school buses:
- Do not drive distracted.
- Pay close attention to children waiting for the bus.
- Yellow lights mean the bus is preparing to stop—you should too.
- Red flashing lights mean students are boarding or exiting a school bus. Do not pass during this time! It is illegal in every state to pass a school bus when its red lights are flashing and the stop arm extended.
- When the red lights stop flashing and the stop arm is no longer extended, slowly proceed past the bus.
- Oncoming vehicles also need to stop unless a physical road barrier separates them from the school bus. New York law requires drivers to stop on a divided highway even if there is a barrier.
Several states, including Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York, allow stop-arm cameras on school buses to crack down on illegal passing.
Exclusively focused on representing plaintiffs, especially in mass tort litigation, Eric Chaffin prides himself on providing unsurpassed professional legal services in pursuit of the specific goals of his clients and their families. Both his work and his cases have been featured in the national press, including on ABC’s Good Morning America.
