A TOWN has issued 80,000 tickets to drivers passing school buses – but they might not be valid.
A statewide camera program was implemented to increase safety for school children, but it’s become a hassle for drivers.
Affected drivers were caught on camera illegally passing stopped school buses.
The town of Hempstead sent out thousands of fines averaging $250 per ticket to drivers in four school districts on Long Island, according to the New York Post.
But the four districts – Baldwin, Hempstead, Lawrence and the Valley Stream 13 – didn’t give the town permission to give the tickets.
According to town officials, the tickets were probably handed out when buses that originate in participating districts stopped in non-participating areas.
“While the districts identified may not have opted in to have their school buses participate in the program at this current time, ticketing can and does still occur in these areas by any in-service school bus that originated from a school district that has opted into the program,” Hempstead Town spokesman Brian Devine said in a statement.
“There are no geographic limits on the program and enforcement of the state law can occur townwide by statute.”
Legal experts, who have experience in municipal and school district law, say there is a possibility for a class-action lawsuit as the roughly 80,000 tickets identified by Newsday were issued improperly.
One district, Lawrence, posted a letter to community members on its website stating the tickets were “void.”
New York’s Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee claims the safest way to transport children to and from school is by school bus.
In fact, students are about “70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a school bus” instead of commuting by car, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
However, students getting on and off buses become vulnerable to injury.
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee says this is due to an alarming number of motorists illegally passing stopped school buses.
According to the New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT), approximately 50,000 motorists illegally pass stopped school buses statewide each school day.
A law was passed in 2019 (VTL 1174-A) that authorizes school districts to use cameras on school buses to impose penalties on vehicles owners who pass a school bus while the school bus is stopped.
The first violation warrants a penalty of $250.
A second violation within 18 months warrants a penalty of $275.
And a third violation (or more) within 18 months will warrant a penalty of $300.
The DMV notes that school buses have “bigger blind spots, take longer to stop, and need more room to maneuver” than a regular vehicle — which is why safety is strictly enforced.
Laws on Passing a School Bus
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), it’s illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus when it is stopped, the red strobe lights are flashing, and the stop sign is deployed.
“All States require the traffic in both directions to stop on undivided highways when students are getting on or off a school bus,” the agency’s website reads.
Florida launched a program in May 2024 that will cite drivers illegally passing stopped school buses with the help of AI-powered cameras to capture footage of violators, citing an important law.
In Florida, Chapter 316 Title 19 reads:
Any person using, operating, or driving a vehicle on or over the roads or highways of this state shall, upon approaching any school bus which displays a stop signal, bring such vehicle to a full stop while the bus is stopped, and the vehicle shall not pass the school bus until the signal has been withdrawn. A person who violates this section commits a moving violation, punishable as provided in chapter 318. Any person using, operating, or driving a vehicle that passes a school bus on the side that children enter and exit when the school bus displays a stop signal commits a moving violation, punishable as provided in Chapter 318, and is subject to a mandatory hearing under the provisions of s. 318.19Source: NHSTA, Florida Legislature
RULES OF THE ROAD
Drivers need to know how to react to a school bus in operation.
Yellow flashing lights mean the school bus is preparing to stop to pick up or unload children. Drivers are required to slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
Red flashing lights mean the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off.
In this case, drivers should stop their vehicles and wait until the school bus starts up again or until signaled by the driver or police officer to proceed.
The DMV has detailed some handy tips for drivers.
When you encounter a school bus:
Slow down. Drivers are asked to be patient and drive at a reasonable speed. Be alert. Children and parents are usually waiting or walking around school buses. Come to a complete stop at least 20 feet away from the bus. Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Drivers are issued 80,000 tickets totaling $20 million by bus camera program – but it was never approved by schools )
Also on site :
- LAPD Releases Body Cam Footage of Shooting Involving Weezer Bassist’s Wife Jillian Lauren
- John Force Racing: Brittany Force Smashes National Record With New Fastest Speed Recorded
- Body found in forest preserve in suburban Naperville, investigation underway