Georgia’s School Bus Laws: What to Know
It is crucial for individuals to know how to operate safely around school buses. The lives of children are on the line if individuals operate their vehicles negligently when a school bus comes to a stop on the roadway. Here, we want to review Georgia’s school bus laws so you have a thorough understanding of your responsibilities around these vehicles.
Georgia and Operation Stop Arm
In the state of Georgia, “Operation Stop Arm” was created in order to call attention to the importance of school bus laws. This program addressed specifics about when individuals are required to stop for a school bus on Georgia roadways. If a school bus stops:
- To pick up or drop off passengers on a two-lane road, traffic in both directions must stop.
- For passengers on a two-lane that has a center turning lane, traffic in both directions must stop.
- For passengers on a four-lane road that has no median, traffic in all directions must stop.
- For passengers on a four-lane road but there is a center turning lane, traffic in both directions must stop.
- On a divided highway that has four more lanes and there is a raised median or physical barrier in between traffic going in opposite directions, only traffic following the bus is required to stop.
Under Georgia law, drivers are essentially required to stop for a school bus in nearly every situation unless they are on a divided highway. If you are driving on the road and see flashing school bus lights and an extended stop sign, you need to slow down and come to a stop and wait for the school bus to deactivate its lights and pull the stop sign back into the side of the bus.
Penalties for Failing to Stop for a School Bus in Georgia
Failing to stop for a school bus when required to do so could result in significant penalties. Law enforcement officials can issue a fine of up to $1,000 for a first offense. This offense could also result in six points against a driving record. Any individual under the age of 21 convicted of not stopping for a bus when required to do so will likely see their license suspended.
If the stop arm camera on the bus catches a person illegally passing the school bus, this will result in a civil penalty of $250. Tickets will be issued to the owner of the vehicle. If individuals fail to pay the civil penalty issued as a result of a school bus camera ticket in Georgia, the state may transfer the amount to a collection agency, and this could be reported to the credit bureaus.
According to data available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), children are more at risk when approaching or leaving a school bus than they are when riding on the school bus. Any individual operating near a bus should remain vigilant, even if they do not see the lights flashing or the stop sign extended. Even after a bus begins to pull away, drivers should remain cautious and watch out for children who may attempt to dart back into the road or cross the road for any reason. Children do not have a full understanding of the dangers of the roadway, and adult drivers need to practice defensive driving on their behalf. If you or a loved one has been involved in a school bus accident, contact our Atlanta bus accident lawyers for legal representation.