Transportation » School Bus Law

School Bus Law

PENNSYLVANIA’S SCHOOL BUS STOPPING LAW
  • When you meet or overtake a stopped school bus with red signal lights flashing and stop arm extended, you MUST STOP.
  • When you approach an intersection where a stopped bus with red signal lights flashing and stop arm extended, you MUST STOP.
  • You MUST STOP at least ten (10) feet away from the school bus.
  • You MUST WAIT until the red lights have stopped flashing and the stop arm has been withdrawn before moving.
  • DO NOT MOVE until all the children have reached a place of safety.
  • You MUST STOP on roadways with painted lines.
  • You MUST STOP on roadways with singing divisors.
  • Drivers on separate roadways do not have to stop on a highway with clearly defined dividing sections or physical barriers separating the roadways. This only applies when the school bus is on the opposite side of the road. WHEN IN DOUBT, STOP.
 
CRIMINAL PENALTIES
If you are convicted of violating Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law, you will receive all the following penalties:
1. 60-day Driver’s License Suspension
2. Five (5) points on your driving record
3. $250.00 fine
 
CIVIL PENALTIES
Penalty listed below applies when you are issued a violation for passing a school bus equipped with an automated side stop signal arm enforcement system.
$300 fine, No effect to your driving record (no suspension and no points)
 
KNOW YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
1.5 million children are transported on Pennsylvania roads each day.
These children are transported more than 320 million miles to school each year,
Every year children are needlessly injured or killed by drivers passing stopped school buses.
 
OUR CHILDREN’S SAFETY IS IN YOUR HANDS!!!!!!

SCHOOL BUS LAW FOR ENTERING A SCHOOL BUS

Parents are only authorized to enter and ride a school bus when they are chaperoning a school-sponsored trip and are approved by the corresponding school.

If parents have problems they would like to discuss with school bus drivers, they are to call the schools and schedule appointments. School bus drivers cannot hold conversations at bus stops since this can create dangerous conditions taking the drivers' attention away from the safety of the children and the traffic situation. This can also cause a delay in the drivers' schedule and tie up traffic, causing unnecessary problems.

If the parents want to deliver a note to the school bus driver, they may give the note to their child to give to the driver.

Please read the bill below that addresses the School Bus Law pertaining to unlawfully entering a school bus. Thank you for your cooperation.

2023 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Title 18 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES
Chapter 55 - Riot, Disorderly Conduct and Related Offenses
Section 5517 - Unauthorized school bus entry

Universal Citation:

18 PA Cons Stat § 5517 (2023)

This media-neutral citation is based on the American Association of Law Libraries Universal Citation Guide and is not necessarily the official citation.

 

  • 5517. Unauthorized school bus entry.(a) Offense defined.-- A person who enters a school bus without prior authorization of the driver or a school official with intent to commit a crime or disrupt or interfere with the driver, or a person who enters a school bus without prior authorization of the driver or a school official who refused to disembark after being ordered to do so by the driver, commits a misdemeanor of the third degree. (b) Notice.-- A school district may place a notice at the entrance of the school bus that warns against unauthorized entry.

(June 11, 1998, P.L.460, No.65, eff. 60 days) 1998 Amendment. Act 65 added section 5517.

 

To help keep our students safe & the bus moving in a timely manner, we ask that you

DO NOT STOP the bus in anyway. This means and is not limited to blocking the bus with a vehicle or standing in front/behind the bus. If you have a concern about the bus or student safety, please contact one of the following:

 

Norwin School District- Transportation Office 

251 McMahon Dr

North Huntingdon, PA 15642

724-515-3038

[email protected]

 

OR

 

First Student-North Huntingdon

99 Billott Ave

North Huntingdon, PA 15642

724-863-2262