Back to school: Safety concerns over illegal school bus passing

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Safety concerns have been raised by the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) about a potential risk to school bus riders.

Passing school buses with the stop signal arm raised is against the law in all 50 U.S. states. However, according to data from National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS), there are about 45 million occurrences of illegal school bus passing per school year.

Drivers in Tennessee can face fines from $250 to $1,000 for passing a stopped school bus with a stop arm out.

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“There’s only so much we can do nationally because these laws are adjudicated at the state level,” Curt Macysyn, CEO of the NSTA, told News 2.

Macysyn said the transportation association is searching for ways to increase public awareness of the problem. One possibility the NSTA is looking to, Macysyn said, is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to create a campaign similar to the seatbelt safety awareness initiative “Click it or Ticket.”

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The NSTA said they are also considering working with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to give refresher tests during license renewals, reminding drivers it is illegal to pass stopped school buses.

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