The Child Safety Network recently announced a collaboration with BusGates to address drivers illegally passing stopped school buses.

According to a release, a national survey found that school bus drivers reported 66,322 illegal passing incidents in a single day, totaling millions of violations in one school year. Additionally, between 2000 and 2021, drivers who failed to stop for school buses caused 53 fatalities, nearly half of them school‑age children.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) warns that the most dangerous part of a child’s school bus ride is not on the bus but when they are getting on or off, when children are most vulnerable to being struck by an illegally passing vehicle.

“Every time a driver illegally passes a stopped school bus, they’re putting children’s lives at risk,” said BusGates Co‑Founder Jeff Stauffer. “As a parent, that is unacceptable. Our stop‑arm extension technology is designed to combat this behavior head‑on by making the obligation to stop impossible to ignore.”

How BusGates’ Stop-Arm Extension Works

Through this partnership, BusGates has developed an LED‑lit stop‑arm extension that attaches to a school bus’s existing stop arm.

When the bus stops, the extension swings out nearly five feet from the side of the bus, reinforcing a visual and physical barrier that drivers cannot overlook. The extended stop arm acts like a railroad crossing gate, forcing drivers to stop well in advance of the bus.

Field results from school districts already using BusGates saw their daily illegal‑passing incidents drop from multiple occurrences to zero after installing the extensions. According to the release, early adopters have reported reductions in vehicles illegally passing stopped buses of up to 95%.

“No parent should have to fear for their child’s life at the bus stop,” Ward Leber, founder of the Child Safety Network, said. “The numbers are staggering — tens of millions of violations each year — and each one is a child’s close call or worse. We refuse to accept this as the status quo. By partnering with CSN, BusGates is taking action to ensure every driver gets the message that when a school bus stops, we all must stop. Together, we can end these near‑misses and protect our children.”

A Proactive Stand Against Stop-Arm Running

The BusGates–Child Safety Network collaboration will combine technology, education, and advocacy to tackle the stop‑arm running epidemic on a national scale. CSN will leverage its nationwide network to promote the adoption of BusGates’ stop‑arm extensions and to educate communities about school bus safety.

“With millions of violations happening every year, we can’t afford to treat this as a localized issue. It’s a national problem that demands national attention and real solutions,” said BusGates co‑founder Trevor Clatfelter.

This partnership is a proactive call to drivers, lawmakers, and school districts across the country to take immediate action against illegal stop-arm passings.