Decade by Decade: 50 Years of Pupil Transportation History
New Florida Law Doubles Stop-Arm Running Penalties
The minimum fine for illegally passing a stopped school bus on the right side jumps from $200 to $400. Driver’s license suspension time also doubles in some cases.
Nicole Schlosser・Former Executive Editor
A new Florida law doubles penalties on motorists who illegally pass a school bus with its stop arm extended.
File photo
1 min to read
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed on Saturday a new law that doubles penalties on motorists who illegally pass a school bus with its stop arm extended.
As School Bus Fleet previously reported, HB 37 proposed increasing the minimum fine from $100 to $200 for passing on the left side of the bus and from $200 to $400 for passing on the right side, where students load and unload.
Meanwhile, the new law also doubles the time, in some cases, a violator would have their driver’s license suspended. A second stop-arm running offense within five years can be met under the new law with a license suspension up from a minimum of 90 days to 180 days, and a maximum of one year instead of six months.
The law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2021, according to the Florida House of Representatives website.
More Safety
Illegal School Bus Passing Drops 24% in New York Districts
With fewer than 5% of citations involving repeat offenders, Westchester County officials said enforcement, education, and community partnerships are helping change driver behavior.
Read More →
School's Back. Here's What Happened to Traffic, Speeding & Distraction
What happens to traffic when school resumes? New data analysis examines changes in distracted driving, congestion, and speeding around schools.
Read More →
Geotab Expands Fleet Safety Tools With Video Coaching, Risk Insights
New safety and video capabilities aim to help fleet managers assess risk, support drivers, and take targeted action through video coaching, red-light violation detection, and more.
Read More →
How to Build a Better School Bus Driver Training Program
Is it time to strengthen your driver training? Here’s how to pick the right talent and improve recruitment, retention, and safety. This video is brought to you by IC Bus.
Read More →
Recent School Bus Accidents Leave 2 Dead, 2 Injured
Four school bus crashes in Florida, Illinois, and Georgia highlight risks in transportation lots, at bus stops, and during student loading and unloading.
Read More →
Sponsored•September 8, 2026
When Every Second Matters, Clarity Keeps Routes Moving
From routine delays to urgent incidents, strong communication practices help drivers, dispatchers, schools, and families respond with confidence.
Read More →
What Happens When a School Bus Catches Fire — and What Can Help
School bus fires are rare but can be devastating. Learn how advances in fire suppression and asset protection help fleets detect fires earlier, reduce damage, and improve safety.
Read More →
Geotab Launches Tool to Help Fleets Investigate Road Incidents
Geotab Investigations combines telematics data, video, documents, and other evidence to help fleets reconstruct incidents, resolve claims, and determine what happened.
Read More →
Texas Sixth Grader Wins 2026 National School Bus Safety Poster Contest
Sai Darshana Yekolu of Moseley Middle School in Prosper, Texas, was named the newest winner for her artwork, bringing the theme of “Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes” to life.
Read More →
Sponsored•August 27, 2026
Doing More With Less: How Transportation Directors Can Prioritize Safety Amid Budget Uncertainty
With diesel prices soaring and nearly one-third of transportation directors expecting budget cuts, maintaining student safety has never been more challenging. Download this guide to learn how leading districts are prioritizing risk, funding critical safety technology, and building stronger budget cases with data.
Read More →