The New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) recently announced its continued support of Operation Safe Stop Day. The annual event promotes school bus safety and educates the public about the dangers of illegally passing stopped school buses while their red lights are flashing.

NYAPT chapters will hold public awareness events on April 24, 2025 in the Capital Region, Rochester, and central New York areas.

“Stop on red, our kids are ahead – that’s the Operation Safe Stop motto,” said David Christopher, executive director of NYAPT. “While the main focus is to remind drivers to stop for stopped school buses so we can keep our school children safe, it is important to note that law enforcement across the state will be out in force following yellow school buses and issuing tickets to those drivers who violate the law."

About Operation Safe Stop

Operation Safe Stop is a cooperative educational and enforcement project supported by NYAPT, the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the New York State Education Department, the New York State School Bus Contractors Association, the New York State Bus Distributors Association, the student transportation industry, and state, county, city, and local law enforcement agencies.

Recently, 900 school bus drivers were surveyed and reported almost 2,000 illegal passings in a single school day. Based on this survey, projections to include all of New York state equate to more than 110,000 illegal passings in one day.

“The safety of students riding our school buses to and from school is our top priority, and we urge drivers to do their part by stopping for stopped school buses,” said Marc Medina, president of NYAPT and transportation director of the Farmingdale Union Free School District. “We ask the public to avoid distractions while driving, to be aware that school buses are on our roadways, and to stop when they see the red lights flashing on a school bus. Student lives depend on all motorists following the law.”

NYAPT says 2.3 million children ride school buses in New York.

Steeper Penalties for New York Drivers

New York state vehicle and traffic law requires all vehicles to come to a complete stop when approaching a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing. The law also prohibits passing a stopped school bus when its lights are flashing regardless of the direction of travel, even on a multi-lane or divided highway.

Law enforcement will be following buses on the lookout for illegal passings. Penalties for first-time offenses include a fine of $250 to $400, five points on your driver’s license, and possibly up to 30 days in jail.

A second conviction within three years may result in a fine of $600 to $750, five points on your license, and up to 180 days in jail. Three or more convictions will result in a $750 to $1,500 fine, five points on your license, and up to 180 days in jail.

State law also allows fines to be levied on the owner of any vehicle illegally passing a stopped school bus for districts and municipalities that choose to use automatic ticketing stop arm cameras. The fines begin at $250 for a first violation and up to $300 for subsequent violations.

The fines were recently increased with a bill that recently went into effect aimed at repeat offenders.