Passing Stopped School Bus Can Bring Big Fine For Howard Co. Drivers

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — As kids head back to school soon, drivers are reminded to be vigilant when students are in crosswalks and to be mindful of the law when school buses are stopped.

Howard County police officers will heighten their enforcement of driver and pedestrian safety in school zones through their an annual back-to-school initiative known as H.A.S.T.E. (Helping Arriving Students Through Enforcement).

Increased traffic patrols will be in place on roadways surrounding elementary, middle and high schools for the first several weeks of the school year. Officers will focus on drivers who are speeding, failing to stop for pedestrians or driving distracted. They also will be checking for seat belt and child safety seat use to ensure all occupants are properly restrained.

“Back-to-school means more children are walking to bus stops, crossing streets and getting on and off school buses,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who also serves as Governor Wes Moore's Highway Safety Representative. “Stopping for a school bus is the law and one of the simplest and most important ways drivers can help keep Maryland's children safe. We urge every motorist to slow down, stay focused and do not pass a stopped school bus.”

Facing fines

Howard County Police also are reminding drivers that buses serving the Howard County Public School System have been outfitted with external cameras designed to capture footage of drivers who break the law.

"The purpose of the program, which launched in 2021, is to ensure student safety by discouraging motorists from passing buses illegally. The state of Maryland’s fine for illegally passing a school bus is $250," a spokesperson for the Howard County Police Department told Patch.

The police department's speed camera program serves as a reminder for drivers to slow down in school zones and has tiered fines ranging from $40-425 based on speed. The cameras are rotated among various school zones in the county, which are posted in advance and updated every week at the police department's website.

Drivers caught by an automated school bus camera face a $250 civil citation. If stopped by law enforcement, the violation may result in a fine of up to $570 and three points on their driver's license.

When to stop for a school bus

Maryland law requires drivers to know and follow these rules whenever they encounter a school bus:

• Flashing yellow lights mean the bus is preparing to stop. Slow down, use extra caution and be prepared to stop. Children may enter the roadway unexpectedly.

• Flashing red lights and an extended stop arm mean drivers must stop at least 20 feet from the bus while children are boarding or exiting.

• Drivers traveling in the same direction as the school bus must always stop, regardless of the number of lanes or the presence of a center turn lane.

• Drivers traveling in the opposite direction must stop unless the roadway is divided by a physical median barrier, such as a grass median, concrete barrier or guardrail.

• Remain stopped until the stop arm is retracted, the red lights stop flashing, and the bus begins moving again.