We always get an uptick in phone calls in the first few months after school gets back in session from people who have received citations for passing a school bus when the stop arm was extended. As the law states, vehicles must stop at least 20 feet from a bus that is displaying an extended stop-signal arm and flashing red lights. Drivers are also not allowed move their vehicle until the school bus stop-signal arm is retracted and the red lights stop flashing.
As we noted in this blog, failing to stop for a school bus that has its flashing lights engaged and its stop arm extended is considered a misdemeanor offense. Misdemeanor offenses in Minnesota are punishable by up to 90 days in jail and fines up to $1,000, but jail time is avoided in the vast majority of first offense misdemeanor crimes.
However, one Minnesota county is beginning to take a different approach to penalizing stop arm violators. James Brue, an attorney in Norman County, recently told KFGO Radio that two individuals were sentenced to a weekend behind bars for failing to stop for school buses.
Increasing Punishments
According to Brue, both individuals spent the weekend behind bars and were issued $285 fines for failing to stop for a school bus that had its flashing lights on and its stop arm engaged. He said the harsher sentence was given down because the Ada School District has been working hard to educate people about school bus safety, but ,”it just doesn’t seem to be working.”
The problem isn’t just contained to Norman County. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, 458 drivers have been cited statewide for breaking the state’s stop arm law. These citations can be pricey, as Minnesota increased the maximum fine for these violations form $300 to $500 this August.
If you want to learn more about school bus laws and how to avoid a costly ticket, swing on over to this page and take our school bus law quiz. And if you find yourself in a sticky situation after inadvertently passing a school bus on your commute to work, reach out to the experienced lawyers at Appelman Law Firm. We have helped a number of people who have been charged with stop arm violations, and we can do the same for you. Call us at (952) 224-2277 today.
