Gov. Pat McCrory last month signed HB 428 into law to enhance the penalties for passing a stopped school bus.
Known as the “Hasani N. Wesley Students’ School Bus Safety Act,” named after an 11-year-old boy struck and killed at his school bus stop last December, the law increases the minimum fine for the misdemeanor of passing a stopped school bus to $500. If the passing motorist is convicted of a second offense within three years of the first, he or she is also stripped of the driver’s license for one year.
In the event a passing motorist strikes a pedestrian, the violation becomes a felony punishable by a minimum fine $1,250. A second conviction can result in the driver’s license being revoked for two years. If the felony charge results in a death, the fine increases to a minimum of $2,500 and the loss of driving priviledges for three years.
The revocation of driving priviledges under the revised law extends to the CDL.
North Carolina law already approves the use of automated camera and video recording systems on school buses capture illegall passing incidents and prosecute the offending motorists.
“Any photograph or video recorded by a camera or video recording system shall, if consistent with the North Carolina Rules of Evidence, be admissible as evidence in any proceeding alleging a violation of subsection (a) of this section,” the law states.
Last year, a one-day count conducted by more than 10,850 school bus drivers reported that a total of 8,669 incidents of motorists illegally passing the buses occurred involving 8,853 vehicles. This year’s count is expected to be released soon in NASDPTS 2013 Stop Arm Violation Survey.
