As of Jan. 1 2021, penalties will be doubled for illegally passing a school bus. The legislation came after several high-profile accidents with fatalities or seriously injured children caused by vehicles passing school buses while students were getting off the buses.
Under the new law, the penalty for failure to stop for a school bus increases from a minimum $100 to $200, according to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Department. If a second offense is committed in five years, the person’s license will be suspended for up to 1 year.
Additionally, the penalty for passing a school bus on the side that children enter and exit when the school bus displays a stop signal increases from a minimum of $200 to $400. If a second offense is committed in five years, the person’s license can be suspended up to two years.
We urge everyone to be extra cautious while passing school buses. As outlined above, the result could be a hefty fine that’s double the amount for the same offense in 2020. A second offense could turn into a bigger nightmare – a suspended license. It’s really not worth the risk.
When Do You Have To Stop?
Some motorists might be unsure about when to stop for a school bus. For the most part, drivers must stop on BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD when a bus is stopped and unloading. The bus will have it’s sign and lights activated. The only exception is if the road has an UNPAVED DIVIDER. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has created this handy graphic below.
Need Help From A Traffic Ticket Lawyer?
While we really hope you slow down and stay alert near buses and never get pulled over for this offense, our attorneys are always on standby to help with any type of traffic citation. Call 1-800-CITATION for a free consultation.
