BILL NUMBER: S716
SPONSOR: RHOADS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the passing
of stopped school buses on divided highways with four or more lanes and
the location of school bus stops on divided highways with four or more
lanes
 
PURPOSE:
To amend the vehicle and traffic, in relation to the passing of stopped
school buses on divided highways with four or more lanes and the
location of school bus stops on divided highways with four or more
lanes.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Subdivision (a) and (b) of section 1174 of the vehicle and
traffic law, as amended by chapter 597of the laws of 1990, are amended
to read as follows.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In 2019, New York State adopted legislation safeguarding our young chil-
dren and holding people accountable by authorizing school bus cameras to
catch drivers passing a school bus discharging children. Now that the
school bus camera law is being implemented in several jurisdictions,
however, it has highlighted an unforeseen problem. Drivers travelling
in the opposite direction of a stopped school bus along multi-lane
divided highways are forced to come to a sudden and complete stop where
it is unsafe to do so and where it is equally unsafe for children to
attempt to cross. Consequently, for drivers in that situation, there is
a heightened risk of accident and injury while encouraging children to
cross a multi-lane divided highway, they should not cross. According to
Educationweek.org, New York is the only state in the Nation that
requires vehicles travelling in both directions on a multi-lane road
divided by a median to stop for a stopped school bus.
This legislation would amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law to alleviate
this danger by removing the requirement to stop for vehicles travelling
in the opposite direction of a stopped school bus discharging passengers
on multilane divided highways. In this way, we can continue to protect
children without creating unnecessary danger to unsuspecting motorists.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.