As NY bus accident lawyers, our duty includes educating the public on school bus safety and the significance of adhering to traffic regulations. Annually, Operation Safe Stop Day is commemorated to increase awareness about the perils of unlawfully passing a halted school bus.
This year’s event is scheduled for April 27th. Regrettably, incidents such as the recent accident involving a 9-year-old student in Suffern and the mother with her four children struck by a hit-and-run driver in Brooklyn last November underscore the ongoing nature of this problem.
The New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT), in collaboration with the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the New York State Education Department, the New York State School Bus Contractors Association, and other organizations, supports Operation Safe Stop Day.
The primary objective is to encourage drivers to stop for stationary school buses, ensuring the safety of our school children.
NYAPT surveys indicate that approximately 50,000 drivers in New York pass stopped school buses unlawfully every day that school is in session, endangering students’ lives.
New York State Vehicle and Traffic law mandates all vehicles to halt completely when approaching a school bus displaying flashing red lights, signaling a child is either entering or exiting the bus.
The law forbids passing a school bus with red lights flashing, irrespective of the travel direction, even on multi-lane or divided highways. Noncompliance with the law can lead to severe penalties, including fines, license points, and potential imprisonment.
NYAPT not only emphasizes the importance of school bus safety for drivers but also acknowledges the efforts made by skilled and well-trained school bus drivers and officials in upholding the highest safety standards.
Operation Safe Stop Day awareness events will be organized throughout the state by NYAPT chapters and local organizations.
It is crucial to recognize that school bus transportation is among the safest means for students to commute to and from school.
Nevertheless, accidents like the one involving the 9-year-old student in Suffern or the mother and her four children in Brooklyn demonstrate the necessity of obeying traffic regulations and remaining alert when driving near school buses. 
As bus accident lawyers, we implore drivers to reduce speed, eliminate distractions, and always halt when they see red lights flashing on a school bus.
The safety of our children relies on all drivers abiding by the law.
For more info on bus accident related legal matters and how we can help you CLICK HERE.
