Posted by The Huron Hub | Oct. 11, 2021

Two new laws go into effect Monday in Michigan that aim to make school busses safer for children.

The two new laws focus on:

-making it easier to ticket drivers who pass a school bus’s extended stop arm
-implementing more signage to make it clear a person cannot walk onto a school bus without permission.

The first makes it easier to ticket drivers who illegally pass the school bus’ extended stop arm.

Previously, police had to witness in-person a car pass a bus stop arm sign in order to issue a ticket.

Under the new law, drivers can now be ticketed using exterior cameras on buses.

Some schools already have the cameras, while others are now looking into the investment because of the new law.

“This rule, we hope, will increase enforcement, wake people up and we will see fewer instances of those stop arms getting run,” Rep. Jack O’Malley, Chair of the House Transportation Committee, told WXYZ news.

O’Malley helped pass the law, along with another law stating people cannot walk onto a school bus without permission.

“It always happened at the school building. You try to go to your child’s elementary school and get in, you got to ring in and tell them who you are, they gotta buzz to let you in, why- safety,” said O’Malley.

The same idea will now apply to the bus. There will now be a no trespassing sign on the door of the bus.

If a driver is caught blowing a stop sign, or if a person steps onto a bus without permission, both offenses carry a fine of up to $500.

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