Since school has been or soon will be back in session, there has been a high volume of reports regarding cars running school bus red lights. As a reminder: Motorists must stop at least ten feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop arm extended. Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped.

Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.

PENALTIES - If you are convicted of violating Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law, you will receive all of the following penalties: 60-Day Driver’s License Suspension, Five (5) points on your driving record, $250 Fine If a school bus is equipped with a side stop arm enforcement system and you pass a school bus with it's red lights flashing, you could receive a $300 fine in the mail. Annually, more than 700 drivers are convicted for passing a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing. You can find more information related to Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping Law on PennDOT's Website.