School Bus Violations Endanger Students

A new report conducted by the Maryland State Department of Education reveals that far too many motorists are not stopping when school buses are either picking up or dropping off students.

All motorists are responsible for following the rules of the road, which includes stopping when school bus lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended. A failure to do so can endanger the lives of innocent students as they cross the street.

Report Findings

The April 2018 survey included over 80 percent of the state’s school bus drivers from 24 school districts. The goal of the survey was to take a closer look at the incidence of illegal driving behavior when approaching a school bus.

According to the report, school bus drivers counted over 3,800 school bus violations in one day this past spring, compared to the 3,384 violations reported on a single day in 2017.

Any one of these violations could cause devastating injuries or fatalities to a child who is simply crossing the street to catch the bus.

All licensed drivers in Maryland must be aware of and follow the laws regarding bus safety. The results of the survey suggest that there is significant room for improvement when it comes to bus safety.

Overview of Violations in Maryland

The survey found the following violations for each county:

• Montgomery County – 1,038 violations
• Baltimore County – 766 violations
• Anne Arundel – 385 violations
• Baltimore City – 64 violations
• Carroll County – 97 violations
• Harford County – 196 violations
• Howard County – 290 violations

While some counties had fewer violations in 2017 compared to 2016, including Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, and Carroll County, others increased in 2017. Bus drivers in Howard County saw a significant increase in violations, from 189 in 2017 to 290 in 2018.

Some Survey History

In 2011, the first year that the State Department of Education began to conduct this survey, there were more than 7,000 violations.

The total number of violations in 2018 were lower than in 2016 by 522; but the past three years had violations ranging from more than 3,300 to over 4,300.

This indicates a serious problem that can endanger the lives of children ranging from kindergarteners to high school students. To address the problem, many school bus companies have installed cameras on the sides of school buses.

The surveillance videos will capture footage of cars that fail to stop when a school bus stops and deploys the stop arm. The camera can record the license plate, as well as the date and time of the violation. Ideally, this will help discourage motorists from violating the school bus rules that have been put into place to protect children.

Baltimore Car Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Protect Victims of School Bus Violations

If your child has been seriously injured in a car accident involving another motorist who violated the school bus law, the Baltimore car accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton are on your side. We take these violations very seriously and will work tirelessly to determine who is responsible for causing the accident. Our experienced and compassionate legal team will not stop fighting for you until justice has been served. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent car accident victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.