Back to School
Kids in Duval County and all over Florida will soon be headed back to school. That said, it might be a good idea for drivers to go back to school for a refresher course about safety rules regarding sharing the road with school buses and driving in school zones. It is estimated that over 50,000 drivers illegally drive by school buses each and every day. Since you don’t want the hefty ticket you’ll receive if you illegally pass a school bus, let alone injure a child, lets go over Florida’;s school bus laws.On a non-divided highway, a driver must always stop when a school bus has its stop lights blinking and its stop signs showing, whether you are driving behind the bus or in the opposite direction (facing the bus).
On a divided highway, a driver driving behind a school bus and in the same direction, must always stop when the bus’s stop lights are flashing. However, if you are driving in the opposite direction, you do not need to stop IF there is a physical barrier like a concrete abutment, a raised median, or at least five feet of unpaved space separating the roadway where the bus has stopped and the roadway on which you are driving—though you should always be extra alert any time you are driving in the vicinity of a school bus.
The State of Florida can be very tough on drivers who illegally pass school buses. The minimum fine for illegally passing a school bus on the right hand side is $265. A second offense within a five year period will cost you another $265, a mandatory court hearing, and a suspension of your driver’s license for 180 days to a year.
Drivers who illegally pass on the left hand side of the bus will be fined $165. A second offense will cost them another $165, plus a driver’s license suspension of 90 days to six months.
Regardless of the penalties, you really should drive extra carefully around school buses and in school zones because children are the world’s future. If your child is injured in a Jacksonville school bus accident, you may be entitled to compensation for any losses and damages you incur. To find out more about your legal rights and options, call the attorneys at Farah & Farah for a free consultation, at (800) 533-3555.
