School bus safety bill changes approved
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A newly signed Pennsylvania law will require drivers to stop further away from school buses stopped with red signal lights flashing while increasing the penalties for repeat offenders.
Act 89 of 2026, formerly Senate Bill 65, was signed into law recently by Gov. Josh Shapiro after receiving unanimous approval in the state Senate and 199-4 approval in the state House of Representatives, with Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Warren, voting in favor.Senate Bill 65 was sponsored by Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Dallas. It increases the required stopping distance from 10 feet to 15 feet when a school bus is stopped with its red signal lights flashing and side stop arm activated. It also establishes enhanced penalties for repeat offenders, addressing a gap in current law that does not provide increased punishment for those with second or subsequent violations. The educational components of Act 89 take effect this December while the changed stopping distance and enhanced penalties take effect in one year.
"Every child deserves to get to and from school safely, and motorists have a responsibility to stop when a school bus is loading or unloading students," said Baker. "Act 89 is about changing driver behavior and holding repeat offenders accountable. We owe it to our children and their families to take this responsibility seriously."
PennDOT's Automated School Bus Enforcement Program recorded 76,413 violations in 2024, compared with 24,085 in 2023. While expanded automated enforcement contributed to the increase in documented violations, the numbers demonstrate the ongoing challenge of ensuring motorists stop for school buses. In addition to stronger penalties, Act 89 expands school bus safety education by assigning new responsibilities to PennDOT and school districts.
"This important legislation sends a clear message that putting children's lives at risk will not be tolerated," said Gerry Wosewick, executive director of the Pennsylvania School Bus Association. "Every child deserves to board and leave their school bus safely. This law is an important step toward keeping our students safe and holding dangerous drivers accountable. We thank Sen. Baker for her persistence in making student safety a priority."
Warren among the school districts in the state with active stop-arm camera systems on its school buses. The Warren County School District reported 100 violations of stop-arm laws, with 76,413 such violations reported statewide. Warren County imposed $30,642 in fines for stop arm camera violations in 2024, with 59.8% of the fines collected.
In addition to the new 15-foot stopping distance between a vehicle and a school bus, state law requires motorists to stop when they are behind the bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.