In a sustained effort to keep schoolchildren safe the NYS Senate has passed legislation co –sponsored by Senator Simcha Felder increasing the penalties for passing a stopped school bus.
A stopped school bus with flashing red lights is discharging or picking up students and by law all traffic must stop and wait while they pass safely. “Drivers who pass school buses put children’s lives at risk and we will do whatever we can to ensure these offenders are stopped and punished in a manner that reflects the severity of the crime,” said Senator Felder.
Those few moments of waiting ensure that our children arrive safely at school and back home again. Nevertheless, on any given school day, thousands of drivers in America illegally pass stopped school buses with red lights flashing and stop sign arms extended, according to a recent national survey.
These two bills (S4193) and (S1064) will deter and punish this reckless and dangerous behavior by raising the fine for passing a school bus to $350 for a first violation, rising to $1,000 with subsequent violations and imposing a 60 day driver’s license suspension if convicted of the offense twice in an 18-month period.
The measures have passed the Senate and are now with the Assembly for consideration. “Children are our most precious resource and we will continue to send the message that their safety is our priority,” said Senator Felder.
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3 Responses
But let’s also then tighten the rules that the drivers must follow! We, the population, count too!
1) drivers may NOT drive our kids while on the phone. Currently they do so with impunity.
2) they can’t open their doors causing the lights to flash before the child is ready to board – not when mom is still wiping his face clean from breakfast.
3) the busses must park off the streets. They must park in lots. They can’t take over our entire lives!
One more thing!
Busses that pull up to the curb should not flash their lights thus enabling the rest of traffic to flow. Children who are embarking or disembarking at the sidewalk do not need those lights to flash for their safety. We, the rest of the population, count too!
Felder has a point. There are violations that need to be caught, cited, and prosecuted. The idea of making these fines greater benefits no one, except the coffers of the city. That does not help much for safety. I have yet to meet any driver who will refrain from rushing and violating this because of the increased dollar figure. I suggest that violators do so “with impunity” because they believe they will not get caught. The focus should be on increased enforcement of the law. I do not disagree that the penalties should be serious. But that alone will not accomplish the goal of increased safety.
Lastly, the role of law enforcement with regard to the moving and parking violations issues should not ever be about fund raising, but about enforcement of law to make the lives of those who live and work here safer and more livable. Sadly, we do not see parking violations addressed as anything other than “gotcha” opportunities to bring dollars to the city coffers. I favor law enforcement, not rendering things illegal just to fine violators and raise money.