I Accidentally Passed a Stopped School Bus (Will I Get a Ticket)

Accidentally passing a stopped school bus is a serious matter that is not joked about as it puts the safety of school children at risk. School bus stops are designed to ensure the safety of students getting on and off the bus.

If you have passed a stopped school bus when you should not, you will be fined with legal consequences if the incident leads to the death of a school child.

Therefore, if you accidentally pass a stopped school bus with its flashing lights and its stop arm extended, the school bus driver will report the incident to the authorities who will process a ticket and send it to your mail within 14 – 30 days.

I Accidentally Passed a Stopped School Bus

You will be punished accordingly if you accidentally pass a stopped school bus with the stop sign extended and the flashing red light is on, offloading or loading school children.

The school bus driver will report the incident to the appropriate authorities who then process a ticket and send it to your mail.

So, it doesn’t matter whether your passing of the school bus was by accident or not, as long as there’s evidence of you passing the bus, you will be cited for it.

However, if you accidentally pass a stopped school bus and the school bus driver fails to report the incident to the appropriate authorities, you may not get a ticket because the violation needs to be reported before a ticket can be processed and sent to your mail.

This is why most people claim not to have gotten a ticket even after passing a school bus. The bus driver may have failed to report the incident or there was not enough evidence of you passing the bus from the school bus camera.

Moreover, the fact that you’re reading this article means that you may have mistakenly passed a stopped school bus. Was it a mistake? Like you didn’t see the yellow bus on time?

I’m not here to judge anyone because no one is above mistake. But we learn from our mistakes and make a better decision next time.

Therefore, don’t get your hopes high that the school bus driver may fail to report the incident. Because of the sensitivity of the violation, school bus drivers always report the incident to the authorities. You may or may not be lucky. So, expect the ticket in your mail in the next 14 – 30 days.

I will be honest with you. I’ve been driving for 18 years. In these 18 years, there has never been any time I passed a stopped school bus loading or offloading school children. Not even by mistake; because I’m very conscious of it.

Anytime I’m driving and see any vehicle with a yellow color, I treat it with caution. But, I’ve heard about friends who have accidentally passed a school bus.

You know when they say that any slightest distraction while driving is enough to cause an accident?

One of my friends who passed a school bus and got a ticket said that he was inputting an address on the Google map in his car’s infotainment system when all of a sudden, he passed the bus.

By the time he realized himself, he had already passed the bus. According to him, it was like a movie. It was as if the bus came out of nowhere, hence why it is not good to be distracted while driving.

Another incident I heard was a woman who was trying to caution her child who was throwing a tantrum on the back seat. By the time she was done cautioning the child, she had already passed the bus. It was a pure accident and she go a ticket.

So, yes, you will get a ticket if you accidentally passed a stopped school bus loading or unloading school children.

However, its important to note that these penalties can vary based on whether it’s a first offense, if there were children present, and the circumstances of the violation. Therefore, it’s always important to obey traffic laws, especially those designed to protect the safety of children.

I Accidentally Passed a Stopped School Bus on the Opposite Side of the Road

If you accidentally passed a stopped school bus on the opposite side of the road, the consequences could still be serious because while laws differ by state, passing a stopped school bus, even on the opposite side of the road, is considered a traffic violation because it endangers the safety of children boarding or exiting the bus. What if those children wants to cross to the other side of the road?

Therefore, the penalties for passing a stopped school bus on the opposite side of the road are similar to passing on the same side and may include fines, points on your driver’s license, and in some cases, license suspension or community service.

Furthermore, accidentally passing a stopped school bus on the opposite side of the road with a median may be considered less severe than passing without a median, as there is a physical barrier separating the lanes of traffic but it might still be against the law in your State and can result in penalties.

What Happens if I Accidentally Passed a Stopped School Bus?

Here are what happens if you accidentally pass a stopped school bus:

1. You Violates Traffic Rules

Accidentally passing a stopped school bus is a traffic violation, as it is illegal in most jurisdictions. So, it doesn’t matter whether it is by mistake or not.

The penalties and fines associated with this violation can vary from place to place. In many areas, this offense is considered a serious violation, and penalties can be quite huge.

2. You Will Receive Citations and Fines

If you are caught by law enforcement officers, traffic cameras, or school bus cameras passing a stopped school bus, you will receive a traffic citation.

The fines for this violation can be high, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the laws and regulations of your area.

3. You Will Get Points on Your Driving Record

In addition to fines, accidentally passing a stopped school bus may result in points being added to your driving record. The number of points can vary from 2 – 8 depending on the laws of your state of residence.

Accumulating points on your record can lead to higher insurance rates and, in some cases, driver’s license suspension or revocation.

4. It Can Lead to Legal Actions

If you receive a citation for passing a school bus, you may need to appear in court to address the matter. Legal consequences can vary based on the severity of the violation and the laws in your jurisdiction.

5. You May Get Community Service or Education

In some cases, as an alternative to or in addition to fines, a court may require you to perform community service or attend traffic safety education courses.

How many days the community service will hold depends on the laws of your area. It can be 100 days to 160 days of community service.

6. It Can Increase Your Insurance Premiums

Accidentally passing a stopped school bus, can lead to higher insurance premiums as insurers may view you as a higher-risk driver. As reiterated earlier, it doesn’t matter whether it was an accident or not.

7. It Can Lead to Civil Liability

If your actions result in an accident or injury to someone else, you may face civil liability, having to pay damages to the injured children. More reason why you should never pass a stopped school bus with a stop sign out.

8. There May Be Social Consequences

Passing a stopped school bus puts children’s safety at risk, and such actions can lead to negative public opinion and backlash from your community.

If the video of the incident is released on social media, people will condemn your action not minding that you did it by accident.

What to Do If I Accidentally Pass a School Bus

Here are the things to do when you accidentally pass a stopped school bus:

• Immediately Pull Over: If you realize that you have passed a stopped school bus, pull over to a safe location as soon as it’s safe to do so. Please do not continue driving after passing a stopped school bus.
• Stay Calm and Compose Yourself: Take a moment to collect yourself and ensure that you are calm. Panicking or making erratic decisions can lead to further issues.
• Remain in Your Vehicle: Stay inside your vehicle. Do not attempt to approach the school bus or the children who are boarding or disembarking. Your presence might cause confusion or concern.
• Contact Authorities: If you have a cell phone with you, you can call the local police or emergency number (e.g., 911) and explain the situation. Provide them with your location, a description of your vehicle, and any other relevant information.
• Cooperate with Authorities: When the police arrive, follow their instructions. They will assess the situation and may take statements from you, the bus driver, and any witnesses.
• Be Honest: When discussing the incident with authorities, be truthful and cooperative. Explain that it was accidental, but do not try to minimize the seriousness of the situation.
• Follow Legal Procedures: Depending on the laws in your jurisdiction, you may receive a citation or summons to appear in court. Be prepared to address any legal consequences that may arise.
• Learn from the Experience: Use this situation as an opportunity to reflect on your driving habits, improve your awareness, and ensure that you are more vigilant when approaching school buses in the future.

Meanwhile, if you accidentally pass a stopped school bus and continue driving, you will still receive a ticket for your actions. So, if you choose to flee the scene, the school bus driver will report the incident and a ticket will be sent to you via your mail.

As reiterated earlier, the only time you won’t get citations for passing a school bus is if the bus driver did not report the incident, and no one else did. This is rare. Because of how delicate the situation is, school bus drivers always report such incidents to the appropriate authorities.

How to Avoid Passing a Stopped School Bus By Accident

To avoid passing a stopped school bus by accident, you should:

• Know when to pass the school bus and when not to
• Know what the stop sign on the school bus means and how it works
• Know the driving rules that revolve around school buses in your state of residence
• Be watchful when driving, don’t be a distracted driver.
• Know what the flashing lights on the school bus are and how it works.
• Know the consequences of passing a stopped school bus

Conclusion

It is important to remember that safety is paramount, especially around school buses and in school zones. If you accidentally pass a stopped school bus, it’s important to take responsibility for your actions, learn from the experience, and take steps to prevent it from happening again.