In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation to allow school buses to use extended stop arms.
Unfortunately, school buses in Pennsylvania have continually seen vehicles speed past them on a regular basis, placing our children at risk of significant injury. The safe transportation of our children to and from school is paramount above all else, and motorists continue to ignore the warnings currently in place on school buses out of either sheer ignorance or carelessness. We cannot continue to allow our children to be placed at risk.

According to a one-day annual survey conducted by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services during the 2023-2024 school year(1), 98,065 school bus drivers reported that 66,322 vehicles passed their buses illegally. Adjusting these numbers for 100 percent of school bus drivers in the U.S. across a 180-day school year, the group concluded these sample results point to more than 45.2 million violations per year nationally.

To that end, my legislation would allow a school bus to be equipped with an extension to a stop arm, which would partially obstruct the roadway. Vehicles are already required to stop for a school bus when the stop arm is out, and allowing a school bus to have an extension to that stop arm will certainly give motorists pause when approaching a stopped school bus. We owe it to our children to create a safe transportation environment when going to and from school, and my legislation would provide the ability for schools to further protect their students, should they choose to. Similar legislation has been passed to great effect in Illinois.

I hope you will consider joining me in co-sponsoring this important legislation to provide increased safety to our children when traveling to and from school.

(1) https://clintoncountydailynews.com/annual-nasdpts-survey-highlights-danger-of-passing-school-buses/
 
 

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 1491 (Apr 28, 2025): 75-4552