"We will find you, and we will ticket you."
That is the message from the New York State police concerning drivers illegally passing stopped school buses with their flashing red lights on.
With school back in session, New York State Trooper James O'Callaghan tells me that thousands of drivers across the state illegally pass a stopped school bus daily. If law enforcement finds you, you will be ticketed.
"When the reds are on, it means stop," said Trooper O'Callaghan. "It hasn't changed. A red light is a red light. A stop sign is a stop sign."
I spoke with O'Callaghan to give viewers a review of the rules of the road concerning stopped school buses.
The New York State DMV has created this infographic to illustrate the responsibilities of drivers. You can see more on school bus safety from the DMV here.
Right of Way
When a school bus stops and flashes its red lights, traffic approaching from either direction must stop before reaching the bus:
- on a two-lane road
- on multi-lane highways
- on divided highways
"If a school bus has its reds on, it doesn't matter if it's a two-way road, a four-lane road with a median, or a divided highway, every vehicle has to stop on that roadway no matter what direction you are coming at that bus with its reds on," said Trooper O'Callaghan.
O'Callaghan said drivers who illegally pass school buses face significant penalties, but most importantly risk the health and safety of students.
"It's five points for passing a school bus ticket, 11 points and you lose your license. It carries anywhere from a $250 to a $1000 fine, but honestly, the biggest reasons you can injure or kill a kid, and that's what we are talking about," said Trooper O'Callaghan.
