'Death Zone': What To Know About Passing A Stopped School Bus In N.J.

Now that school has started, drivers need to remember to follow a few rules of the road that have had the summer off along with students in New Jersey. And forgetting those rules — and being caught doing so — could carry stiff penalties for motorists or, even worse, cause a serious accident.

When it comes to buses, school zones and safety, some of the biggest concerns happen when cars and buses aren't even moving. Kids run the greatest risk of being hurt when they're standing at the bus stop, according to school officials.

In fact, most children between the ages of 5 to 7 are injured or killed while they're getting on and off the bus, and they enter an area that the Illinois State Board of Education has ominously labeled the "Death Zone."

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:

Passing a Stopped School Bus

The Law: In New Jersey, the driver of a vehicle approaching a school bus must stop no less than 25 feet from vehicle. The driver must stay stationary until each child has entered the bus. The driver also must stay stationary until each child exiting the bus has reached the side of the road, and until a flashing red light is no longer exhibited by the bus.

On highways having dual or multiple roadways separated by safety islands, the driver of a vehicle on another roadway approaching a school bus must reduce the speed of his vehicle to no more than 10 miles per hour, and cannot resume normal speed until the vehicle has passed the bus. The car can't resume normal speed until the car has passed any child exiting or entering the bus.

The Penalty: First-time offenders are subject to fines of not less than $100, imprisonment for not more than 15 days or community service for 15 days. The Motor Vehicle Commission may also revoke the license to drive a motor vehicle of any person found guilty.

Speeding in a School Zone

The Law: Under state law, the speed limit for school zones typically is 25 mph, regardless of what the speed is for the road the school is on.

Local authorities, however, may by ordinance designate a reasonable and safe speed limit that is less than or greater than 25 mph after an engineering and traffic investigation.

The Penalty: For most speeding violations, the motorist faces up to 15 days in jail and/or $50 to $200 in fines. And for willful speeding violations—meaning the driver was knowingly breaking the law—license revocation is possible. Fines are, however, double for speeding offenses where the driver exceeded the posted limit by 20 miles per hour or more (or ten miles per hour or more in a 65 mile-per-hour zone).

With reporting by Joe Vince (Patch Staff)

Photo via Shutterstock