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Adrian Dowling is an advocate for safe and efficient transportation. He lives in South Portland.
October 20 is the first day of National School Bus Safety Week. In Maine, it’s also the first day of School Bus Driver Appreciation Week, celebrating our hardworking and highly trained bus drivers, bus aides, mechanics, dispatchers, crossing guards and support staff who contribute to making school buses the safest form of transportation. As we thank them for their service, it’s a good time to remember that those of us who drive regular vehicles carry the biggest responsibility for our students’ safety.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), less than 1% of traffic deaths involve children on school buses; students are much more likely to be hurt or killed while waiting to get on the bus or after disembarking. This highlights the critical need for motorists to pay attention, avoid distractions, and comply with traffic safety laws.
When a school bus activates its red lights and extends its stop sign, it’s a clear and unambiguous signal for all other motorists to stop. Nevertheless, too many drivers fail to comply, and a 2024 NHTSA study found that 24% of motorists are unaware that stopping for stopped school buses is the law. Furthermore, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services conducted a nationwide survey of school bus drivers and estimated that school buses were illegally passed an astonishing 39.3 million times during the 2024-2025 school year.
Penalties vary widely from state to state. In Virginia, offenders face fines of up to $2,500 and up to a year in prison. Here in Maine, the penalty is comparatively lenient: a $250 fine and a 30-day license suspension. Motorists should be aware that if they are caught passing a stopped school bus, fines are not the only cost: their auto insurance premiums are likely to get more expensive, too.
Education and awareness are most important in promoting school bus safety. Schools and parents should work together to educate children about safe practices when boarding and exiting the bus. Children should be taught to wait for the bus to come to a complete stop, to look both ways before crossing the street, to stay several feet away from the bus until the driver signals that it is safe to approach, and to never try to retrieve something that has fallen underneath the bus.
Public awareness campaigns can help remind motorists about school bus safety laws. Even very simple reminders like “Stop for School Buses” can be effective in changing driver behavior. Congress is considering the Brake For Kids Act, a bill that would launch a nationwide public awareness campaign, but we need not wait for an act of Congress. Maine municipalities and school districts should collaborate to create and distribute content tailored to their own communities that emphasizes the importance of complying with school bus safety laws.
Technology can play a role in enhancing school bus safety, although it adds significant costs for residents at a time when many are already struggling to pay their tax bills due to Maine’s skyrocketing property values. Some districts have equipped their buses with external cameras that automatically capture video of vehicles failing to stop. The video can be used to identify offenders and hold them accountable. Cameras can also act as a deterrent, but only if motorists actually know about them, and not every community is able or willing to absorb this added expense.
If we foster a culture of awareness and responsibility among motorists, and educate children on safe practices, we can greatly improve what is already the safest way to get to and from school. Remember, the lives of our children depend on our collective commitment to school bus safety. Together, we can ensure that every child arrives at school and home safely, and that our roads are safe for all.
