BUS FUSS
‘Lot of people are very unhappy,’ as new law hits drivers with quadruple fines up to $1,000 for common mistake
Another state has a law that can charge drivers 10 times more for the same offense
A LAST-minute change to a major road rule imposing some of the strictest-in-the-nation fines put lawmakers at odds.
Drivers are looking at a $1,000 fine if they make a common mistake that has proven extremely dangerous to children.
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Passing a school bus after it has stopped and opened its stop sign is illegal.
The dangerous move has put thousands of children's lives at risk.
Studies looking into over 90,000 school bus drivers in 33 states found about 25.8% of buses had cars pass illegally when stopped.
Georgia's House of Representatives passed a law that aims to protect school children by increasing fines on drivers, according to Atlanta-based NBC affiliate WXIA-TV.
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The House narrowly passed Addy’s Law, a bill named after Adalynn Pierce.
Pierce was eight years old when a car struck her as she crossed the street next to a school bus.
She passed away from her injuries.
The new road law quadruples the minimum fine for the infraction to $1,000.
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Rep. Lauren Daniel, one of the bills sponsors, supported the bill after it went through massive changes.
"The hour is late. This bill is not what it originally was," she said.
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Initially, the bill was scheduled to address public debt.
However, after several rewrites, the bill didn't address debt and instead raised the school bus fine.
Some lawmakers gawked at the increased fines.
"A lot of people are going to be very unhappy with this legislation," Rep. Don Parsons said before the vote.
"A thousand-dollar fine can prevent someone from paying their rent, making their house payment, putting food on the table."
Laws on Passing a School Bus
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), it's illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus when it is stopped, the red strobe lights are flashing, and the stop sign is deployed.
"All States require the traffic in both directions to stop on undivided highways when students are getting on or off a school bus," the agency's website reads.
Florida launched a program in May 2024 that will cite drivers illegally passing stopped school buses with the help of AI-powered cameras to capture footage of violators, citing an important law.
In Florida, Chapter 316 Title 19 reads:
- Any person using, operating, or driving a vehicle on or over the roads or highways of this state shall, upon approaching any school bus which displays a stop signal, bring such vehicle to a full stop while the bus is stopped, and the vehicle shall not pass the school bus until the signal has been withdrawn. A person who violates this section commits a moving violation, punishable as provided in chapter 318.
- Any person using, operating, or driving a vehicle that passes a school bus on the side that children enter and exit when the school bus displays a stop signal commits a moving violation, punishable as provided in Chapter 318, and is subject to a mandatory hearing under the provisions of s. 318.19
Source: NHSTA, Florida Legislature
Daniels said the bill was a moderate fine compared to other states, claiming that Indiana had $10,000 fines for the infraction.
However, a judge in Indiana said fines for the illegal school bus passing is discretionary to the case's magistrate, according to WXIA-TV.
Motorists can be charged as little as $1 for the infraction.
Daniels still said the fine was commenserate to the harm produced by the driving error.
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"A thousand dollars is obviously a fine that is going to make people upset," she said.
"It is much cheaper than having to pay for a child’s funeral."