RCW 46.61.372 School bus stop sign violators — Report by bus driver — Law enforcement investigation.
(1) The driver of a school bus who observes a violation of RCW 46.61.370 may prepare a written report on a form provided by the state patrol or another law enforcement agency indicating that a violation has occurred. The driver of the school bus or a school official may deliver the report to a law enforcement officer of the state, county, or municipality in which the violation occurred but not more than seventy-two hours after the violation occurred. The driver shall include in the report the time and location at which the violation occurred, the vehicle license plate number, and a description of the vehicle involved in the violation.
(2) The law enforcement officer shall initiate an investigation of the reported violation within ten working days after receiving the report described in subsection (1) of this section by contacting the owner of the motor vehicle involved in the reported violation and requesting the owner to supply information identifying the driver. Failure to investigate within the ten working day period does not prohibit further investigation or prosecution. If, after an investigation, the law enforcement officer is able to identify the driver and has reasonable cause to believe a violation of RCW 46.61.370 has occurred, the law enforcement officer shall prepare a notice of traffic infraction and have it served upon the driver of the vehicle.
What this means is that if the driver of a school bus can catch your license plate they can report you to the police. I don't know about other states but this is the policy in Wisconsin and you will receive a ticket for well over $300.00. Let us show some patience in this matter when you see a stopped bus
Drivers must stop on the street or highway 20 feet or more from any school bus that has stopped and is flashing red warning lights.
This applies both to vehicles approaching from the rear and from the opposing lanes. All lanes of traffic must stop for the school bus, except in opposing lanes if the highway is divided with a center median. No vehicle may proceed until the bus resumes motion and has turned off the red warning lights. The stop arm on the bus is an added communication to other drivers, but the lack of an extended stop arm is not reason to pass a bus whose red lights are flashing. In some urban areas buses will signal with yellow lights, or use red lights only in some parts of town. Motorists should observe school buses carefully for either the "pass cautiously" yellow light signal or the required full stop when a bus is flashing red lights.
A vehicle owner can be cited when the driver of a car passes a school bus illegally. A law enforcement officer need not witness this violation if the school bus driver reports it to the law enforcement agency within 24 hours. Fines can be quite high for illegally passing a school bus, but the risk of hitting a child is even higher.
A vehicle that approaches a stopped school bus that is displaying flashing red warning lights, must stop not less than 20 feet from the bus and remain stopped until the bus resumes motion or the operator extinguishes the flashing red warning lights. Failure to do so could result in a fine between $30 and $300. This law does not apply to vehicles driving in the opposite direction on a divided highway but does apply if no barrier is present on multi-lane street or highway.
The last two posts refers to Wisconsin drivers also note that if there is a divided highway (with grass in the middle for example) this law does not apply to you if your approaching from the opposite direction.
I hope you are prepared to stop
ReplyDeleteRCW 46.61.372
ReplyDeleteSchool bus stop sign violators — Report by bus driver — Law enforcement investigation.
(1) The driver of a school bus who observes a violation of RCW 46.61.370 may prepare a written report on a form provided by the state patrol or another law enforcement agency indicating that a violation has occurred. The driver of the school bus or a school official may deliver the report to a law enforcement officer of the state, county, or municipality in which the violation occurred but not more than seventy-two hours after the violation occurred. The driver shall include in the report the time and location at which the violation occurred, the vehicle license plate number, and a description of the vehicle involved in the violation.
(2) The law enforcement officer shall initiate an investigation of the reported violation within ten working days after receiving the report described in subsection (1) of this section by contacting the owner of the motor vehicle involved in the reported violation and requesting the owner to supply information identifying the driver. Failure to investigate within the ten working day period does not prohibit further investigation or prosecution. If, after an investigation, the law enforcement officer is able to identify the driver and has reasonable cause to believe a violation of RCW 46.61.370 has occurred, the law enforcement officer shall prepare a notice of traffic infraction and have it served upon the driver of the vehicle.
What this means is that if the driver of a school bus can catch your license plate they can report you to the police. I don't know about other states but this is the policy in Wisconsin and you will receive a ticket for well over $300.00. Let us show some patience in this matter when you see a stopped bus
ReplyDeleteDon't pass a stopped school bus
ReplyDeleteDrivers must stop on the street or highway 20 feet or more from any school bus that has stopped and is flashing red warning lights.
This applies both to vehicles approaching from the rear and from the opposing lanes.
All lanes of traffic must stop for the school bus, except in opposing lanes if the highway is divided with a center median.
No vehicle may proceed until the bus resumes motion and has turned off the red warning lights.
The stop arm on the bus is an added communication to other drivers, but the lack of an extended stop arm is not reason to pass a bus whose red lights are flashing.
In some urban areas buses will signal with yellow lights, or use red lights only in some parts of town. Motorists should observe school buses carefully for either the "pass cautiously" yellow light signal or the required full stop when a bus is flashing red lights.
A vehicle owner can be cited when the driver of a car passes a school bus illegally. A law enforcement officer need not witness this violation if the school bus driver reports it to the law enforcement agency within 24 hours. Fines can be quite high for illegally passing a school bus, but the risk of hitting a child is even higher.
A vehicle that approaches a stopped school bus that is displaying flashing red warning lights, must stop not less than 20 feet from the bus and remain stopped until the bus resumes motion or the operator extinguishes the flashing red warning lights. Failure to do so could result in a fine between $30 and $300. This law does not apply to vehicles driving in the opposite direction on a divided highway but does apply if no barrier is present on multi-lane street or highway.
ReplyDeleteThe last two posts refers to Wisconsin drivers also note that if there is a divided highway (with grass in the middle for example) this law does not apply to you if your approaching from the opposite direction.
ReplyDelete