Illinois Stopped School Buses and Traffic Violations

 Posted on April 11, 2014 in Criminal Law

There are serious consequences if you are accused of illegally passing a stopped school bus. With the majority of children hurt or killed in transportation to school sustaining injuries outside of the bus itself, Illinois authorities and courts are always on the watch for traffic violations near school buses.

For a first offense, you will receive a minimum mandatory fine of $150 and have your driver's license suspended for three months. If you have multiple offenses within five years, the mandatory minimum fine increases to $500 alongside a one-year suspension of your driving privileges.

Sadly, children can be hurt or killed anytime they are loading or unloading the school bus. When a school bus is stationary with a stop arm panel extended and flashing lights, motorists in Illinois are required to stop and wait until children have finished loading onto the bus or disembarked safely from the bus.

There is only one exception to this law, and it is when a motorist is traveling on a highway with four or more lanes with a minimum of two lanes traveling in opposite directions. In this situation, a motorist traveling the opposite direction than the school bus is not required to stop.

Even though the stopped school bus is relatively easy to spot with flashing lights and an extended stop arm, recent research has indicated that some drivers ignore or miss the school bus activity altogether. When this happens, children can be struck by cars quickly, leading to critical injuries and even death.

Being accused of violating the school bus stop regulations is a serious matter. You should be prepared to hire someone to evaluate the facts of the case and to represent you in court. If you have been involved in an incident where you were accused of a traffic violation in relation to a school bus, reach out to an Illinois criminal attorney today.