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On the road again: Motorists reminded to heed school bus laws

By Jon Andreassi staff Writer jandreassi@observer-Reporter.Com 4 min read
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Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter

Former PennDOT Acting Press Officer Jay Ofsanik demonstrates how drivers should stop about 10 feet away when a school bus is picking up or dropping off students in this file photo from last year.

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Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter

Isabella D’Andrea steps off the bus on her first day of second grade at Allison Park Elementary School last month.

With the new school year in full swing, motorists are reminded to respect school bus stop signs and the speed limit in school zones.

According to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC), 25,583 citations were issued throughout Pennsylvania for illegally passing a school bus or speeding in a school zone over the five-year period between 2018 and 2022.

Locally, the number of citations being handed out for illegally passing buses has started to creep up as kids returned to the classroom for in-person instruction following the pandemic. In Allegheny County, police issued 313 citations in 2022, up from 294 in 2021. Last year’s numbers are down from the 564 citations issued in 2019.

Drivers are required to stop at least 10 feet away from a school bus that has its red signal lights flashing and stop arm extended, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The penalties for violating the law are steep. A conviction calls for a 60-day license suspension, five points on the driving record and a $250 fine.

Forrest Allison, public information officer for state police in Washington, said motorists should exercise more caution than the mandatory 10-foot stopping distance.

“I would always recommend a little bit more,” Allison said. “Watch out for other cars. Not everyone is familiar as much as they should be.”

School zone speeding violations in Allegheny jumped from 133 in 2021 to 254 in 2022. It is still lower than pre-pandemic numbers, as there were 482 speeding citations in 2019.

In Washington County, 19 citations were issued in 2022, up from nine the previous year. The numbers are not quite as high as the pre-pandemic violations, however: In 2019, police in the county issued 35 citations.

When it comes to speeding in school zones, Washington County actually saw a decrease last year. Thirteen citations were issued in 2022 compared to 44 in 2021. In 2019, police handed out 30 speeding citations.

Canonsburg police Chief Alex Coghill described the borough as “uniquely different” when it comes to enforcing these traffic laws, because most of the buses are stopping at intersections with stop signs or traffic lights.

“We see really few violations here. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen – it does happen. Our roadway system just doesn’t lend itself to violating school bus laws,” Coghill said.

Coghill said Canonsburg also has less school bus traffic since Canon-McMillan Middle School moved to North Strabane Township.

In neighboring Greene County, five citations were issued by police for illegal school bus passing. There was just one during the “at home” years of 2020 and 2021, and seven in 2019.

Greene saw a spike in school zone speeding violations in 2021, with 14 citations, compared to just one each of the previous three years. That number dropped to two in 2022.

Fayette County also had a slight uptick in citations for illegal school bus passing, from five in 2021, when many children were still learning remotely, and 14 in 2022. In 2019, police in Fayette had nine citations.

No citations were issued in that county for speeding through a school zone in 2022, and only three motorists were cited between 2019 and 2021.

Kalee Barnhart, public information officer for state police in Uniontown, said troopers have used “Operation School Bus” for several years as a tool for enforcement.

“We ride along with the school buses,” Barnhart said. “We sit in the school bus and there is another trooper stationary. If the oncoming operator fails to stop, we’re able to call out that individual’s car.”

On its website, PennDOT offers several tips for parents and students to stay safe when getting on or off the bus.

Those include getting to bus stops at least five minutes early, never running after the school bus after it has left and always walking at least 10 feet in front of a bus to stay in the driver’s line of vision.

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