Florida’s School Bus Stop Law

The following is a summary of Florida’s school bus stop law requirements:

• Each day in Florida there are over 8,900 illegal “pass-by’s” of Florida school buses, each representing the possibility of tragic injuries or fatalities to students.
• Florida Motor Vehicles Laws require that motorists stop upon approaching any school bus which displays its flashing red lights and has its stop signs extended.
• Interested parties should refer to sections 316.172, 318.18, 318.19, and 322.0261, Florida Statutes (FS), for the specific language in the law. Florida Statutes can be found at http://www.leg.state.fl.us/
• Section 316.172, FS provides that:
  • Drivers who pass a school bus illegally on the left side commit a moving violation, punishable under Chapter 318, FS.
  • Drivers who pass a school bus illegally on the right side where students enter or exit the bus commit a moving violation, punishable under Chapter 318, FS and are subject to a mandatory hearing.



• Amount of penalties (Section 318.18, FS):
  • Left hand pass:
    
    1st offense: $165
    2nd or subsequent offense (within 5 years): $165 plus license suspension for 90 days to 6 months
  • Right hand pass:
    
    1st offense: $265
    2nd or subsequent offense (within 5 years): $265, license suspension for 180 days to one year, plus a mandatory hearing
  
  
  
• Driver improvement course (Section 322.0261, FS):
  • The offender must, in addition to other applicable penalties, attend a DHSMV-approved driver improvement course. If the operator fails to complete the course within 90 days after receiving notice, his or her driver license will be canceled until the course is successfully completed.
  
  
  
• For any violation of Section 316.72, FS, 4 points assessed against driver license (Section 322.27, FS):

  Points:	Within:	License Suspension, up to:
  12	1 year	30 days
  18	18 months	90 days
  24	3 years	1 year

Section 316.172, Florida Statutes
Motor Vehicle Laws

316.172 Traffic to stop for school bus. ---

(1) (a) Any person using, operating, or driving a vehicle on or over the roads or highways of this state shall, upon approaching any school bus which displays a stop signal, bring such vehicle to a full stop while the bus is stopped, and the vehicle shall not pass the school bus until the signal has been withdrawn. A person who violates this section commits a moving violation, punishable as provided in chapter 318.

(b) Any person using, operating, or driving a vehicle that passes a school bus on the side that children enter and exit when the school bus displays a stop signal commits a moving violation, punishable as provided in chapter 318, and is subject to a mandatory hearing under the provisions of s. 318.19.

(2) The driver of a vehicle upon a divided highway with an unpaved space of at least 5 feet, a raised median, or a physical barrier is not required to stop when traveling in the opposite direction of a school bus which is stopped in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(3) Every school bus shall stop as far to the right of the street as possible and shall display warning lights and stop signals as required by rules of the State Board of Education before discharging or loading passengers. When possible, a school bus shall not stop where the visibility is obscured for a distance of 200 feet either way from the bus.