Safety Procedures in Arizona

There is nothing more important than protecting the children safe.  There are laws that can help with safety procedures and Arizona has become one of that places. After Elizabeth Bates was killed by a truck as she exited her school bus in 2008, there is a new safety law:

• HB 2170(School bus signs; overtaking and passing school bus; 5 violation; driver license suspension; civil penalty), which is referring to stopping all the vehicles on the road when a school bus is on the road. Also, including rural roads. The school bus will stop and flashlights in order for other vehicles to stop. 

The year which this awful event occurs, other families all across the states were experiencing the similar consequence of unsafe situations around school buses unloading or loading passengers.

33 school-age children die each year in school bus-related crashes. HB2170 changes  ARS § 28-857, which is a part of general traffic laws in title 28 governing motorists on public roads and highways. It addresses the conduct of stopping when motorbikes are approaching the school bus with warning lights, requires school bus drivers to stop at railroad crossings;

But, there are unclear chapters in section 28-857 is the part where motorcyclists should wait for a bus to use warning lights and stop signs when there is unloading or loading situation on a  private3 road, driveway or public road.

Executives all around the states are taking this proactive law as a great way to stop possible future vehicle accident. Director of transportation at  Pendergast Elementary School District in West Pheonix adopted the law as a “clear direction” for bus drivers when they need to alarm the surroundings on the freeway with stop arms and red lights. “The right thing to do” has been addressed to all schools across the states by Antonio Mlynek, transportation supervisor at Washington Elementary School District in Phoenix.

A minimum civil penalty is $250. A third violation within the three years period increases to $1000 and loss of driver license for a year. Violators of Arizona’s school bus passing the law can be raised up to a 750$ after first offense if another violation is brought to court within three years and the court imposes minimum six months without drivers license if this accident occurs.

It took almost five years for Craig Bates, Elizabeth’s father, for the law to be valid.

There are also laws by The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency that are pretty useful.

1)  Two-lane roadway: When School bus stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop!

2) Four-lane roadway with a median separation: When a school bus stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop!

3) The roadway of four lanes or more with a center turning lane: When school stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop!

4) Two-lane road with a center turning lane: When the school bus stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop!

5) Divided highway of four lanes or more with a median separation: When the school bus stops for passengers, only traffic following the bus must stop.