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Lee, Collier and Charlotte Counties transport more than 100,000 students per day on school buses. School bus drivers are trained to be safe drivers, and maintenance crews are trained to be sure the buses are in good working condition. As the new school year begins, other motorists need to take time to be sure they know the rules when sharing the Southwest Florida roads with school buses.

Southwest Florida school district transportation statistics 

The school district transportation departments in our tri-county area report the following: 

• Lee County bus drivers transport approximately 80,000 students per day to and from school on 769 school buses that travel over 12.6 million miles each school year servicing the 120 schools within Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Alva, Bonita Springs, and Lehigh Acres. 

• Collier County transports approximately 20,000 students each day on over 300 school buses servicing the 53 schools in Naples, Marco Island, Immokalee, and Everglades City. 

• Charlotte County bus drivers train to provide safe, equitable and on-time transportation services for the 21 schools within the Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Englewood and Murdock areas. 

Motorists passing stopped school buses 

State laws typically require motorists from either direction to stay stopped if a school bus' flashing red lights are deployed, and its stop signal arm is extended, unless it is at a divided highway or there is a barrier. In that case, cars may be allowed to travel in the opposite direction of the bus. 

However, some drivers who are impatient about waiting for students to board or exit choose to ignore the warning signals and zoom around the bus. In many states, they face hefty fines for doing so. 

A survey by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) of more than 97,000 school bus drivers in 29 states found that an estimated 76,000 vehicles illegally passed buses on any given day. 

Florida Motor Vehicle Laws require that motorists stop upon approaching any school bus, which displays its flashing red lights and has its stop arms extended. 

On July 1, 2017, the Cameron Mayhew Act took effect in Florida, which increases the minimum penalty for drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus resulting in the injury or death of another person. It includes a $1,500 fine and a one-year driver license suspension. The Act was named for Cameron Mayhew who was killed by a motorist who failed to stop as he was walking to his stopped school bus in 2016. 

What other measures are states taking to stop motorists from passing stopped school buses? 

North Carolina recently passed a law that authorizes the use of cameras on school buses to be used for civil enforcement of stop-arm violations. Annual school bus stop-arm surveys counted more than 3,000 instances per day where motorists passed stopped school buses. In some instances, students were injured or killed as a result of the violations. The new law sets civil penalties at $400 for a first offense, $750 for a second offense, and $1,000 for any subsequent offense. The state now has about 1,900 stop-arm camera systems installed on school buses in North Carolina. 

In addition to cameras, Schoolbusfleet.com/News says that states have taken other steps to bolster student safety at school bus stops, including: 

• Public awareness efforts
• Required school bus driver hand signals to let students know when it is safe to cross the street in front of the bus
• Extended stop arms 

Tips for motorists on sharing the road with school buses 

The NSC (National Safety Council) recommends that if you are driving behind a school bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you more time to stop once the yellow lights start flashing. It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children. 

Also recommended by NSC are the following tips: 

• Never pass a bus from behind or from either direction if you are on an undivided road if it is stopped to load or unload children.
• If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop.
• The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus.
• Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks. 

“If your child or a loved one’s child has been injured in a school bus-related accident, contact the experienced attorneys at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.  There are no costs or attorney fees unless we make a monetary recovery for you,” said Florida Child Injury Attorney, Randall Spivey.

Florida Child Injury Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.