Passing A School Bus in Connecticut: Laws, Fines And Safety Tips

Students have already began to return to school in Connecticut, and those who have not will return after the Labor Day holiday weekend. That means drivers need to remember to follow a few rules of the road that have had the summer off along with students in the state. And forgetting those rules — and being caught doing so — could carry stiff penalties for motorists or, even worse, cause a serious accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the greatest risk to children is approaching and leaving a school bus. Here's what you need to know — and what you should do — when you see a bus stopped with its flashing lights and extended stop-sign arm, or you are driving by a school. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest Connecticut news. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

Passing a Stopped School Bus

In Connecticut, it is mandatory for motorists to stop for school busses that have their red warning lights activated, whether they are approaching or following a school bus.

"Troopers remind ALL drivers to be especially vigilant watching for pedestrians during the before- and after-school hours," according to a Connecticut State Police press release. "The afternoon hours are particularly dangerous for walking children – over the last decade nationally, nearly one-third of child pedestrian fatalities occurred between 3 and 7 p.m."

By law, a driver approaching a school bus must stop their vehicle at least 10 feet from the front or the rear of the bus until it no longer displays its signals. Drivers are also prohibited from turning toward a school bus that is receiving or discharging passengers.

Bus drivers can report instances when they were illegally passed, and police must issue a written warning or summons to the owner of a vehicle who illegally passes a school bus “upon a written report from any school bus operator…specifying the license plate number, color and type of any vehicle observed by such operator or recorded by a camera affixed to such school bus.”

Drivers who violate that law face a $465 fine for a first offense. Each subsequent offense renders a fine of $500 to $1,000, up to 30 days in jail or both. The Department Of Motor Vehicles assess four points against your driver's license for each conviction.

Speeding in a School Zone

School speed limits in school zones can be established on state roads during school hours when lights to a speed limit sign are flashing. Fines are doubled if you speed in a school zone during hours when the lights are flashing.

Safety Tips

The Connecticut Department of Transportation offers tips for motorists when driving near school busses.

• Slow down.
• Be especially careful when driving on neighborhood streets and around school zones, always expect the unexpected.
• Be alert for youngsters walking to and from school as you back out of your driveway or leave your parking garage.
• We want school children to be safe. Watch for them on bicycles, especially at intersections and driveways. Young bicyclists have a tendency to dart out of driveways without looking for traffic.
• Stop your car when you see lights flashing on a school bus. Red flashing lights indicate that the bus is stopped and students are getting on or off. Don't start driving until the red lights stop flashing. Be aware that a child may dash across the street.

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