This bill amends existing laws regarding school bus safety in South Dakota, specifically addressing the behavior of motor vehicle operators when approaching school buses. It stipulates that drivers on highways with less than two lanes of travel must reduce their speed to fifteen miles per hour or less when approaching a school bus with its amber lights flashing and must come to a complete stop when the bus has its red lights flashing, maintaining a distance of at least fifteen feet. For highways with two or more lanes in each direction, drivers are not required to reduce speed or stop for a school bus traveling in the opposite direction, even if the bus has its red lights flashing. However, they must reduce speed and stop for a bus traveling in the same direction when its red lights are activated.

Additionally, the bill introduces a new provision allowing recordings from external video systems on school buses, which can capture traffic activity around the bus, to be used as evidence in civil or criminal actions. While the bill permits the use of such video evidence, it does not mandate that school districts or bus companies install these external video systems. Violations of the amended school bus safety regulations are classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/24/2025: 32-32-6
Enrolled, 03/04/2025: 32-32-6