Earlier this week, the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) applauded Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Gary Peters (D-MI) for introducing the “Brake for Kids Act” (S.2812) in the U.S. Senate on September 16, 2025. 

This legislation directs the Department of Transportation to execute a nationwide public safety messaging campaign (PSA), including television and radio advertisements, to educate drivers about the life-threatening dangers of illegally passing stopped school buses.

“This issue has been a high priority for our membership for a long time, and we are pleased once again to partner with Senators Young and Peters in working on a messaging campaign that will grab the attention of motorists," Curt Macysyn, NSTA executive director stated. "We want to emphasize that illegal passing of a stopped bus is not only dangerous, but also illegal, and violators can face significant sanctions for their reckless behavior.” 

The Need for the Bill

Passing a stopped school bus is illegal in all 50 states, yet violations remain alarmingly common. NSTA believes that a nationwide safety campaign will close knowledge gaps, strengthen driver education, and save lives. NSTA calls on Congress to swiftly pass the Brake for Kids Act.

At the 2025 NSTA Annual Meeting in Boston, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) released the results of its 2025 illegal passing survey. This year, more than 114,000 school bus drivers across the country participated, reporting 67,258 violations in a single day. The findings suggest drivers illegally pass school buses millions of times nationwide, putting children at significant risk for injury or death.

“The Brake for Kids Act is an essential step to protect help protect students and alleviate preventable tragedies,” said Patrick Dean, NSTA president. “Illegal school bus passings are a national crisis, and this legislation provides a platform for student transportation to raise awareness, change behavior, and prevent these all-too-frequent incidents. NSTA applauds Senators Young and Peters for their leadership on this critical safety issue.”

House Legislation

In late March 2025, the Brake for Kids Act was introduced in the House to prevent illegal stop-arm passings. It was introduced by representatives Pete Stauber (MN-08), Rudy Yakym (IN-02), Seth Moulton (MA-06), and Julia Brownley (CA-26).

The legislation was inspired by the results of a 2024 study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in which just over 24% of drivers said that they didn’t know the law.

Curt Macysyn, executive director of the National School Transportation Association, stated: “The NSTA strongly supports the Brake for Kids Act. Private school bus contractors encounter illegal passing of their school buses every day, putting schoolchildren in great danger. NSTA believes this bill will finally move the needle in the direction of safety for kids embarking and disembarking their school buses. A national public safety messaging campaign, including television and radio ads, will serve to educate and remind all drivers that it is illegal and dangerous to pass a stopped school bus with its lights flashing and stop arm extended. NSTA thanks Representatives Stauber, Yakym, Moulton, and Brownley for their strong leadership on this critical safety issue.” 

“Too many drivers nationwide drive illegally past stopped school buses, endangering children and their caregivers,” said Representative Pete Stauber. “In the most tragic cases, the outcome of these reckless actions can be fatal. We are facing an epidemic of distracted driving, but an alarming number of drivers are also unaware that driving past a stopped school bus is illegal. That’s why it is imperative that the Department of Transportation release a PSA informing American drivers of the dangers passing school busses illegally. We must do everything we can to protect our nation’s most precious commodity: our children.”

“Our community in northern Indiana is all too familiar with the devastating consequences of drivers illegally passing stopped school buses. Just last week, we were mere seconds away from another tragedy,” said Representative Rudy Yakym. “My dear friend and predecessor, Jackie Walorski, took swift action to pass the Stop for School Buses Act of 2021, and I am proud to continue her legacy by co-leading the Brake for Kids Act. By passing this legislation, we can better protect our children, safeguard our communities, and prevent further tragedies.”

“Street safety for our kids should be an issue that everyone can get on board with,” said Representative Seth Moulton. “Last year, in my district, Peabody Public Schools put cameras on their school buses and found over 3,400 instances of vehicles failing to stop. That's 2.3 illegal passes per bus per day. This legislation helps combat this dangerous behavior and ensure kids don't get killed when just trying to get to school.”

Editor's Note: This post was originally published on March 25, 2025, and updated on Oct. 3, 2025, to add new information about the Senate's introduction of the bill.