GLEN BURNIE, Md. – As students across the state return to the classroom for the 2024-2025 school year, the Maryland Department of Transportation reminds motorists to plan more travel time, follow all traffic laws and stay alert for children as they commute to and from school. Drivers should always drive the posted speed limit in school zones and neighborhoods and stop for school buses when their lights are flashing and stop arms are extended.
“The start of the school year is an exciting time for students, and they need us to set a strong example of safety,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “Working together, we can model lessons of safe behaviors behind the wheel, on bicycles, on foot and especially around school buses.”
More than 600,000 Maryland students will travel daily by school bus to and from school this year. School buses are among the safest vehicles on the road – less than 1% of all traffic fatalities involve children on school buses, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Yet students are most at risk when they approach or leave a school bus.
“Many of our students will walk, ride a bike or take the bus as they head back to school,” said Maryland State Highway Administrator Will Pines. “Motorists need to stay alert, follow the posted speed limited, and be prepared to stop for school buses and students on our roadways.”A 2024 survey conducted by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services reported that 4,588 school bus drivers in Maryland observed 1,922 drivers illegally passing their bus – all on a single day.Maryland law states motorists must come to a complete stop at least 20 feet from a school bus when its lights are flashing red and its stop-arm is extended. Unless separated by a physical barrier such as a median, it is illegal for a motorist to pass a school bus from any direction until the stop signals are off and the bus has begun to move.
Drivers stopped by a police officer for violating the school bus stop law face a fine of up to $570 and three points on their drivers’ licenses. Thirteen Maryland counties have deployed external bus camera systems to record motorists who fail to stop for school buses. Violators detected by camera may be mailed a citation with a fine.
“Stopping for school buses and watching for children is more than just a rule – it’s a commitment to fostering a culture of safety,” said Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who also serves as Governor Wes Moore’s Highway Safety Representative. “By staying vigilant and obeying traffic laws, we create a safer environment for students to walk or bike to school and ensure school buses continue to be one of Maryland’s safest modes of transportation.”
Other driving safety measures motorists should follow include the following:
- Put down the phone. It’s illegal to use a handheld phone/device or text while driving.
- Always stop for pedestrians in crosswalks and at intersections.
- Obey all traffic signs, signals and markings.
- Enter and exit driveways slowly and always check for pedestrians behind your vehicle.
- Share the road! Allow three feet when passing bicyclists on the roadway.
Students are more likely to be fatally injured as a pedestrian while waiting for or getting on or off the school bus. Parents should talk to their children about bus safety, following these tips:
- Arrive at bus stops early, allowing time to travel safely to and wait at a safe distance from the bus stopping point.
- Remind students that bus stops are not a place to run and play.
- Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop and for the door to fully open before proceeding onto the bus from the safe waiting area.
- Remind students to use caution around buses and to never retrieve an item dropped near or under the bus without first letting the bus driver know.
Parents are also urged to model safe pedestrian behavior for children and discuss these safety tips:
- Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks whenever possible.
- Press the pedestrian signal button and wait for the walk signal before crossing the road.
- Stop at the curb and look left, right and left again before crossing a street.
- Watch for cars entering or exiting driveways.
- Stand away from traffic and the street when waiting for the school bus.
- Stay alert while walking – put the phone down and remove headphones.
For additional safety information, visit the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office at ZeroDeathsMD.gov or on Facebook, X and Instagram at @ZeroDeathsMD.
