With first day of school on Tuesday, those iconic yellow buses will begin arriving in neighborhoods all over the county. Montgomery County Public Schools wants to remind drivers to be attentive when they see school buses on the road.
Here’s a checklist of “Dos” and “Don’ts”:
- According to state law, drivers must stop at least 20 feet from a school bus when the red lights are flashing, and the stop arm is extended
- Drivers may not pass the bus from any direction until the stop signals are off and the bus is moving again
- If the roadway is separated by a median or barrier, motorists are not required to stop
School buses are equipped with cameras that record violations. They carry a penalty of $250 for each violation. Drivers in violation who are apprehended by a police officer face a fine of up to $570. In addition, they are penalized three points on their driver’s license.
At his Wednesday media briefing County Executive Marc Elrich commented, “As a former teacher, I remember the excitement of back-to-school season, especially among our youngest students who may be walking or biking to school for the first time. I am urging drivers to slow down, pay attention, and exercise caution, particularly around our school zones. We have more than 155,000 students returning to our County’s 211 schools, and we want all of them to get home safely.”
Montgomery County completes road safety work ahead of new school year
