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An estimated 50,000 motor vehicles illegally pass New York State school buses every day, according to the announcement.
The law says the following:
- It is illegal, and very dangerous, to pass a stopped school bus when the large red lights located on top of the bus are flashing. Flashing lights mean the bus is picking up or discharging students.
- You must stop whether you are approaching the school bus from the front or overtaking it from the rear.
- You must stop for flashing red lights, even on divided and multilane highways and on school grounds.
On Thursday, officers from the Rockland County Sheriff’s Police Division will be on special patrols along selected bus routes that have a history of illegal passing complaints.
Due to the extreme danger of illegally passing a stopped school bus, penalties are severe.
The penalties are a follows:
- First time violators face fines from $250 to $400 or up to 30 days in jail.
- Convictions for a second offense within 3 years result in fines from $600 to $750 and up to 180 days in jail.
- Third and subsequent convictions amount to fines from $750 to $1000 and up to 180 days in jail.
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