Massachusetts Lawmakers Want to Fine Those Who Drive By School Buses

Massachusetts lawmakers are attempting to pass a law that would allow for drivers who ignore the stop signs or flashing red lights on a school bus and fail to stop when they are activated, and one town has collected the data to show exactly why the law is needed.

Bill S.2275 – An Act Relative to School Bus Safety Cameras – would leave it up to individual cities and towns as to whether or not they would want to install the cameras and enforce the violations.

A person who violates the law would be subject to a $25 fine, but it would not be added to their driving record nor would it be reported to the insurance company so there would be no surcharge as a result.

The bill, presented by Senator Michael O. Moore, a Democrat from the 2nd Worcester district, also has support from three other Democrat senators.

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Peabody Public Schools installed cameras close to the extending stop sign of 10 of its buses at the beginning of this school year; from September to the beginning of May, the cameras captured almost 3,500 incidents of cars ignoring the stop sign and the flashing lights and driving right by the bus.

One video even showed the car nearly striking a student that was walking across the street, causing the student to have to step out of its way, which you can see on the NBC 10 Boston website.

Does the same thing happen here on the SouthCoast?

One New Bedford bus driver sent an App Chat message to WBSM saying she has it happen to her “three to four times a day,” although she admitted she is too busy concentrating on watching the students entering and exiting the bus to see if it happens even more than that.

Would you be in support of a fine for drivers who pass a school bus with its stop sign out or its lights flashing?