RICHMOND, Va. — Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed into law last week a bill that allows citations for stop-arm violations to be mailed to owners of vehicles that were involved in the incidents.
As previously reported, Falls Church and Arlington County had been using stop-arm cameras on school buses to record images of illegal passing incidents and issuing fines to the motorists. However, both jurisdictions stopped after the commonwealth’s attorney general ruled that summonses must be hand-delivered by police to the motorists’ homes and could not be mailed. Authorities said that that would be too time-consuming and costly. Soon after, Delegate Kaye Kory introduced legislation to clarify that police have the authority to issue the summonses by mail.
The new law, which goes into effect on July 1, allows local jurisdictions to mail citations to violators. The law updates the previous “Video Monitoring on School Buses” bill that was signed into law in 2011, that prompted the attorney general’s ruling. In Virginia, a motorist who illegally passes a school bus faces a $250 fine, but as part of the new law, the vehicle’s owner will have the chance to contest who was driving the vehicle at the time of the violation, according to Del Ray Patch.
Police had reviewed more than 350 possible violations from a pilot program in Chesterfield County that had used the stop-arm cameras on 50 school buses from March 19, 2015, to May 11, 2015, WRIC reports. Of those potential violations, police said that 93% would have been valid citations if the program had been live, and that would equal about 10,000 violations if cameras had been placed on every bus in the district, WRIC reports.
New Law Allows Mailing of School Bus Stop-Arm Running Citations
In Virginia, citations for stop-arm violations can now be mailed to owners of vehicles involved in the incidents. A previous law required them to be delivered in person.

In Virginia, citations for stop-arm violations can now be mailed to owners of vehicles involved in the incidents. A previous law required them to be delivered in person.
unknown nodeMore Safety

Autonomous Vehicles Aren’t Built for Student Transportation [Op-Ed]
Driverless cars may feel the future, but student transportation requires more than navigation. Here’s why it demands human judgment, empathy, and oversight.
Read More →
New York Girl Killed by School Bus Hit & Run
An 11-year-old in Brooklyn was killed crossing the street. Meanwhile, the school bus driver faces misdemeanor charges after he left the scene.
Read More →
Disaster Readiness Starts Before the Storm [Call for Experts]
The 2026 Disaster Response Guide is officially underway, and we’re now opening a Call for Insights and Experts.
Read More →
How Supplemental Transportation Helps Close Driver Gaps
Ongoing driver shortages nationwide are forcing tough transportation decisions. See how districts are using supplemental transportation to maintain coverage for high-needs students.
Read More →
New York 5-Year-Old Killed by School Bus, Investigation Ongoing
A Rockland County child was struck by their school bus late last week. Here's what we know so far about this and other fatalities and injuries in the area over the years.
Read More →
Prevent School Bus Dragging Incidents: Anti-Pinch Door Sensors and Maine’s New Mandate
As Maine becomes one of the first states to require anti-pinch door sensors on new school buses, manufacturers like Mayser offer a look at how the technology works and why it's a critical fail-safe.
Read More →
8 Ways To Simplify and Streamline School Bus Fleet Operations
What if your fleet technology actually worked together? Learn eight practical strategies to integrate multiple systems into one platform, unlocking clearer insights, stronger safety standards, and smoother daily operations.
Read More →
Survey: Most Parents Want Automated Enforcement on School Buses
A recent Verra Mobility survey reports that 82% of parents support safety cameras to penalize stop-arm violators and 70% favor automated enforcement in school zones.
Read More →
State Grant Program Advances School Bus Safety Upgrades Across Ohio
$10 million in state grants will fund safety upgrades and new features on school buses serving students across the Buckeye State.
Read More →
Waymo Scrutiny Intensifies as NTSB Launches Investigation
After complications in multiple cities when self-driving taxis failed to stop for school buses, the NTSB joins NHTSA in a probe to determine what's behind the tech and related safety concerns.
Read More →
