October 21 through 25 is National School Bus Safety Week, and police departments and school districts throughout Suffolk County are observing it with special enforcement and reminders to drivers, students, and parents about the rules of the road where school buses are concerned.
Among them: No matter what lane drivers are in, they have to come to a complete stop when a school bus has its lights flashing and stop sign out, which means buses are picking up or dropping off students. It is illegal, not to mention dangerous, to pass a school bus. The law dictates that drivers must stop even on a multi-lane highway.
According to the New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee, an estimated 50,000 drivers illegally pass school buses every day throughout the state.
National School Bus Safety Week is here!
Did you know that it doesn't matter what lane you're in, you must come to a stop when a school bus has its lights flashing and stop sign out.
Illegally passing school buses is dangerous. Drive responsibly to help keep kids safe. pic.twitter.com/cPx662xzPn
— NYSDOT (@NYSDOT) October 21, 2019
Fines for illegally passing a school bus range from $250 to $400, plus five points on your license and/or up to 30 days in jail.
According to the National Association of Pupil Transportation, more than 25 million children ride a yellow bus every school day. The association suggests students who ride buses wear bright, contrasting colors so they can be more easily seen by drivers and that they walk in groups to bus stops, as there is safety in numbers" A full list is available here.