Drivers Urged To Stop For School Buses, TMA Bucks Says

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — With schools now underway throughout Bucks County, TMA Bucks is urging drivers to respect school bus stopping laws.

The Bensalem-based Bucks County transportation agency's Community Traffic Safety Program is telling drivers to stay alert and follow the law now that hundreds of school buses have returned to local roads.

Several school districts throughout Bucks County have cameras on school buses, including ones in the Bensalem Township School District. The Neshaminy School District added the cameras on its buses at the start of the school year.

The PA School Bus Stopping Law, according to PennDOT, states that drivers approaching a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended are required to stop in all directions at least 10 feet from the bus.

The only exception to the law is when a school bus is stopped on the opposite side of a highway clearly separated by a divider, such as concrete barriers or grass medians. Even in this situation, drivers should remain watchful of students trying to cross the road to catch the bus, TMA Bucks said.

"Ensuring the safety of our children on and around school buses is a shared responsibility,” said Carly Wible, manager of the TMA Bucks Community Traffic Safety Program. “Students, parents, teachers, school staff, transportation personnel, and the entire community all play vital roles. The PA School Bus Stopping Law isn’t just a legal obligation, but it’s a crucial measure to prevent needless tragedies and protect children.”

According to PennDOT, the penalties if convicted of violating Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law include a $250 fine and a $35 surcharge to be deposited into the School Bus Safety Grant Program Account, five points on your driving record, and a 60-day license suspension.

Civil violations (Automated enforcement of failure to stop for school buses with flashing red lights) allows school entities to install and operate a side stop signal arm enforcement system for the purpose of enforcing the School Bus Stopping Law.

Civil violations include a $300 fine, but no points or insurance ratings.

TMA Bucks reminds everyone that students are often exposed to traffic while walking to school, waiting at bus stops, or heading to and from buses. Drivers should stay alert, use caution near school bus stops, and always stop for pedestrians or bicyclists in crosswalks.

In addition to watching for school buses, commuters should be alert in school zones, which become hubs of vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Drivers are required to slow down to the posted speed limit of 15 mph in school zones. If convicted, PennDOT says violators face a fine and three points on their driving record.