Traffic laws are meant to keep everyone on the road safe, whether it is a vehicle driver, pedestrian, motorcyclist, or bicyclist. Recent Tennessee legislation enacted the STOP Act, which dictates how drivers should respond to school buses. Familiarize yourself with this newer law to avoid stringent charges. If you are accused of any traffic violation, you should immediately consult with a traffic violation attorney and prepare a thorough and rigorous defense. 

The STOP Act

According to Tennessee law, drivers must never pass a school bus that has stopped to unload children, regardless of the direction in which they are traveling. Once a school bus begins moving again, nearby drivers may also do so. Bus drivers may also signal drivers that they may proceed, and if they turn off the bus’s visual signals, drivers may pass. School buses have a stop sign on the side of their vehicle that extends out while their lights flash, so it is easy to recognize when a bus driver is stopping to unload children.

Parents have recently been capturing startling footage of cars not obeying traffic laws at school bus stops. Cell phone cameras have caught drivers nearly running over children who are boarding school buses, even when buses are stopped with flashing lights, a stop sign displayed, and a safety bar extended. Failure to stop when a school bus is picking up students can lead to serious injury of a child, and a driver will not only face criminal consequences, but they may be held financially responsible for the injuries caused.

According to Tennessee law, a driver may not pass a school bus when it is stopped, its lights are flashing, and it has a stop sign and safety arm extended, unless there is a median strip between the car and the bus. If a driver fails to stop, he or she can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, which includes a fine of up to $1,000.