Crackdown On Motorists: STOP For The School Bus

Liena Zagare -

The New York City Police Department will be actively enforcing the law when it comes to school buses starting today, reads the email from the 70th Precinct in Flatbush.

Well, to be exact, enforcing it on those who fail to stop when the bus turns on red flashing lights, as opposed to when those school buses fail to stop at stop lights, run red lights, or drive like crazy.

That said, school buses do make frequent and unexpected stops, and somehow succeed at getting loads of children, including many with various disabilities, to school and back each day.

You should know what the law is, as the penalties for failing to stop are substantial, including up to six months in prison. And you don’t want the fines or points either.

  • When a school bus is preparing to stop, the driver will activate the yellow flashing lights at approximately 300 feet before the stop.
  • At the stop, the vehicle will be put into neutral or park with the parking brake set to open the door and activate the red flashing lights with the stop arm/stop sign being extended and flashing.
  • New York State law requires motorists to stop for school buses that are receiving or discharging passengers.

Basically, it does not matter where you get stuck behind a bus. The driver of the vehicle must stop when they encounter a school bus in the process of loading or unloading students:

  • On a public highway
  • On multiple lane roads
  • On opposite sides of divided highways
  • On a public street
  • On a private road
  • In a parking lot
  • On school property
  • The driver of the vehicle must stop from either direction
  • The driver must also stop if the school bus has another bus in front of it to receive or discharge passengers.

So – no matter how much this may inconvenience you, never pass a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing on the right or left. And while you sit there – don’t honk. You don’t know if the bus is transporting a child who needs a couple of minutes to be safely seated or disembarked, and it only takes a few minutes at the most.

PENALTIES FOR ILLEGALLY PASSING STOPPED SCHOOL BUSES WITH ITS RED LIGHTS FLASHING ARE:

First Conviction
Fines: $250-$400
Point: 5
Possible Imprisonment: Up to 30 days

Second Conviction (within 3 Years)
Fines: $600-$750
Points: 5
Possible Imprisonment: Up to 180 days

Third or subsequent convictions (within 3 Years)
Fines: $750- $1,000
Points: 5
Possible Imprisonment: Up to 180 days