Safety week highlights school bus laws | News

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- Alabama State Troopers and the Department of Education have teamed up to remind drivers about laws surrounding school buses. It's all part of School Bus Safety Week.

Last year, there were 546 crashes, 268 injuries, and five fatalities involving school buses in Alabama. Most accidents happen during the afternoon bus trip when kids are getting off or on the bus.

The law requires traffic from both directions to stop when traveling on a two lane roadway when a school bus is stopped for passengers. The rule is a little different on roadways that have four or more lanes and a median separation. In that case, only traffic following a school bus has to stop. Traffic going in the opposite direction does not have to stop.

If you break the law, you could get a ticket for up to $300 for your 1st offense. By the 4th time, you could face between $1,000-$3,000 in fines and your driver's license could be suspended up to a year.

Copyright WAFF 2012. All Rights Reserved.