Monday, July 31, 2023
Hoosier students will start traveling to school in the weeks ahead, and Senate Republicans have been working for the last several years to ensure our children get to class safely.
During the 2019 legislative session, the General Assembly unanimously passed Senate Enrolled Act 2, which toughened penalties for motorists who pass school buses with an extended stop arm out.
This bill allows courts to suspend an individual's driving privileges for 90 days on a first offense and up to one year if the driver committed another infraction of the same nature.
SEA 2 also requires school buses to be equipped with black reflective tape mounted on specific areas of the bus.
Each year, the Indiana State Police (ISP) reminds motorists of how important it is to watch for stopping school buses throughout the state.
ISP reminds Hoosiers that if a school bus stops on a two-lane road and has its stop arm extended and red lights are flashing, motorists in both lanes must come to a stop.
For paved multi-lane roads, all motorists must stop if a stop arm is extended with red flashing lights activated.
On a roadway divided with a grass or concrete barrier, vehicles behind the bus must stop, but motorists in the opposite travel lanes may proceed with caution.
Parents are asked to keep their children six feet away from the curb while waiting on a bus to stop and make sure children always look both ways when crossing the street.
For more information about school bus safety, click here.
