Operation Safe Stop was celebrated throughout the state of New York with associations like the New York Association for Pupil Transportation and the New York School Bus Contractors Association participating in events raising awareness of illegal school bus passing.
NYAPT coordinated Operation Safe Stop events in New York for the 24th consecutive year. For the event, local police officers, county sheriff patrols and state police officers monitored traffic surrounding school buses and were on alert to spot motorists who were illegally passing school buses in problem areas that present dangers for children.
“NYAPT joins with all who care about the safety of our children in working together to eliminate illegal passing in New York State. We annually observe Operation Safe Stop Day simply because illegal passing places our children at risk each and every time they board or leave their school bus,” said Lori Ann Savino, NYAPT president and director of transportation at Jericho Public Schools.
Peter Mannella, NYAPT executive director, added that the assocation’s monthly “Count Days” consisting of school bus drivers statewide reporting how many times they have been passed on a single day indicate and average 42,075 illegal passing incidents per day during the 2016-2017 school year. According to the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, an estimated 50,000 drivers in New York illegally pass stopped school buses every day. Each year an estimated 50 injuries are reported that occur from driver’s illegal passing.
NYAPT strongly urges motorists to comply with the laws set forth for the protection of the children, especially when approaching a school bus with red flashing lights and extended stop-arms.
The efforts to raise awareness were also of main concern for the New York School Bus Contractors Association by sharing the importance of stopping when drivers see a school bus with flashing lights.
“Every day school is in session our school bus drivers see drivers putting children in danger by illegally passing stopped school buses,” said Mike Martucci, president of the New York School Bus Contractors Association. “A single incident is one too many, and drivers need to realize that they must stop when they see those red lights flashing on a school bus.”
Martucci also mentioned the main priority is to provide safety for all children who ride the school bus.
NYSBCA President Mike Martucci speaks during a school bus safety event.
The New York School Bus Contractors Association also directed attention to call for the passage of legislation sponsored by New York State Senators Rick Funke (District 55) and John Bonacic (District 42) to increase penalties on drivers convicted of illegal passing of school buses.
“The New York Contractors Association strongly supports the passage of two complementary bills, sponsored by State Senator John Bonacic and State Senator Rich Funke, to increase penalties on drivers who continue to ignore the law,” continued Martucci.
Drivers who are ticketed currently face up to 30 days in jail for a first offense and as much as $400 fine, along with a 5-point penalty on their driver’s license. However, the current penalties are not encouraging the reduction of offenses.
Legislation S.1023 would increase the range of fines for illegally passing a stopped school bus from a minimum of $400 to a maximum of $1500, depending on the number of convictions and a 60-day driver’s license suspension also depending on the number of convictions. The legislation would also require that a person who injuries someone while passing a school bus will be charged with aggravated vehicular assault. If a person were to be killed in the accident, the legislation would require a charge of a criminally negligent homicide.
“School bus drivers work hard every day to protect the students they transport and it’s on all of us to ensure that our kids are every bit as safe when entering or exiting a bus,” said Senator Rich Funke (R-C-I, Fairport). “Operation Safe Stop is an important tool to remind drivers that the law is clear: when you see a school bus’s red flashing lights, you must stop, no matter where on the road the bus is. Together with legislation I have proposed to crack-down on drivers who pass a stopped bus, this effort will go a long way to prevent avoidable tragedies across the state.”
Both Sen. Funke’s and Sen. Bonacic’s bills have been advanced by the New York State Senate in the past, but have failed to move in the New York State Assembly.
