'Death Zone': What To Know About Passing Stopped School Buses

NEW YORK — This week and next the new school year will begin around New York.

That means drivers need to remember to follow a few rules of the road that people around the state haven't had to worry about during the summer regarding passing school buses and minding the speed limits in school zones.

And forgetting those rules — and being caught doing so — could carry stiff penalties for motorists or, even worse, cause a serious accident.

The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) reports that in New York State, 2.3 million children are transported by more than 50,000 school buses annually.

An estimated 50,000 motor vehicles illegally pass New York State school buses every day, according to the state.

The greatest risk to children is approaching and leaving a school bus, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 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

In New York, it is mandatory for motorists to stop for school buses that have their red warning lights activated, whether they are approaching or following a school bus. Motorists must remain a minimum of 20 feet in front or in back of the school bus.

If the bus has its yellow lights flashing, that means the bus is preparing to stop.

By law, a driver approaching a school bus must stop from either direction when encountering a school bus in the process of loading or unloading students:

• On a public highway
• On multiple lane roads
• On opposite sides of divided highways
• On a public street
• On a private road
• In a parking lot
• On school property

The fine when you pass a stopped school bus ranges from a minimum of $250 for a first violation to a maximum of $1,000 for three violations in three years. If you are convicted of three of these violations in three years, your driver's license will be revoked for a minimum of six months.

A law was passed in 2019 authorizing school districts and municipalities to use stop-arm cameras on school buses to impose penalties on the owners of vehicles that pass a school bus while the school bus is stopped for the purpose of dropping off or picking up passengers and red lights on the school bus are flashing.

Speeding in a School Zone

Speed limits in and around schools are usually around 15 to 20 mph, during posted hours or when the speed limit lights are flashing. Penalties can be severe, according to the Rosenblum Law Firm. If a driver is traveling up to 10 miles above the posted speed limit, they can be fined from $90 to $300. The fine increases to up to $600 for going 11 to 30 mph over the limit and up to $1,200 for traveling more than 31 mph over.

Safety Tips for Motorists

The State of New York has tips for driving while sharing the road with school buses:

• Watch carefully for children near school buildings, in areas where school buses are traveling or where there are signs for school zones or bus stops.
• When school is opening in the morning and closing in the afternoon, the area around the school is very busy and crowded. There will be many children using the crosswalk. Car drivers, bikers and in-line skaters must stop to allow people in the crosswalk to cross the street.
• Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood.
• Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.

Safety Tips for Students

The State of New York provided tips for students going to school:

• Look carefully to the left, right and left again if you have to cross the street. When school is opening in the morning and closing in the afternoon, the area around the school is very busy and crowded.
• When you are waiting for the school bus, you should wait at the bus stop and stand well back from the curb.
• When you get off the bus:
  • Look to the rear of the bus before you step off the bottom step. The Pupil Transportation Safety Institute says that more and more motorists are passing stopped school buses on the right shoulder — where the door is.
  • Take five giant steps straight out the bus door and out of the danger zone (areas around buses where the driver can’t see you).
  • Make sure you make eye contact with the driver and wait for the driver to signal you before you cross in front of the bus.
  • Never go back for anything you have left on the bus.
  • Never bend down near or under the bus.
• Your school district probably has a school bus behavior policy. Your bus driver’s No. 1 interest is your safety, so it is important to listen to your bus driver in case there are any special instructions for your bus ride. Be sure to sit quietly in your seat and limit distractions.