Safety laws for school buses are taking effect in New York state in 2022, as children and teens return to school.
The current bus safety laws will hopefully encourage a decrease in accidents around school buses and make motorists to be alert, especially to enforce motorists to slow down and stop when a bus is picking up or dropping off students.
Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara recently stated in part: “Amid the hustle and bustle of preparing for the year ahead, the last thing parents and children should have to worry about is getting to school safely.” The Assemblyman continued with: “Unfortunately, there are still drivers who illegally pass school buses picking up or dropping off kids. It’s critical that we remind everyone around us of the importance of school safety.”
Local governments, by law, are now permitted to install cameras on school buses. Stationary cameras can identify drivers who illegally pass the school bus.. Warning signs on the buses will notify drivers of they are being watched via the cameras.
An additional law allows fines collected from those motorists illegally passing a school bus will be used for a council for school bus driver training. The council will study safety issues around the school busses and work to provide public service announcements for the purpose of educating drivers on the dangers of illegal passing school buses.
