JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Several new laws went into effect at the stroke of midnight on January 1. Drivers need to be aware of this law that brings a heftier fine for violators.
The penalties for failure to stop for a school bus are now double. It goes from a minimum of $100 to $200 and if a second offense is committed in five years, the person’s license will be suspended for up to one year.
That’s not all. The penalty for passing a school bus on the side that children enter and exit when the school bus displays a stop signal goes from a minimum of $200 to $400.
If a second offense is committed in 5 years, the person’s license can be suspended for up to 2 years.
Need to brush up on the rules for when to stop for a school bus?
If you’re traveling on a two-lane road, cars in both directions must stop. If it’s a multi-lane road with no barrier in between, the rule is the same. Cars in all directions have to stop.
The only time you do not have to stop for a school bus stop is if you are traveling the opposite direction, and there is a raised barrier, like a concrete divider or a five-foot-wide grass median.
Most schools are back in session starting next week.