A new school year begins with a new law: Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a law that provides one of the highest minimum penalties in the country for passing a school bus.
In April, lawmakers passed “Addy’s Law,” which imposes a minimum fine of $1,000 and up to a year in jail on drivers who illegally pass a school bus. The law went into effect on July 1.
This law is named after 8-year-old Adalynn Pierce, who was hit and killed while trying to board her school bus in February. According to local news, her family called for a harsher punishment after her death.
The Georgia Department of Education website states: “All drivers are required to stop when encountering or passing a stopped school bus with red lights flashing and a stop arm extended while passengers are boarding or alighting.”
In addition, an online graphic explains various situations that a driver may encounter when driving near a stopped school bus.
For example, if a bus stops on a two-lane road, vehicles in both directions must also stop. If a bus stops on a multi-lane paved road, vehicles in both directions must also stop. And if a bus is stopped on a divided road by dirt, grass or barriers, vehicles behind it must also stop, while motorists in the opposite direction can continue but must exercise caution.
The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation reported that the estimated number of motorists illegally passing school buses increased by about 4 percent nationwide during the last school year. Data show that about 9,189 motorists in Georgia illegally passed a stopped school bus during a voluntary one-day count in the spring.
Georgia’s fine is the highest minimum penalty in the country. Utah lawmakers passed a law in May that increases the minimum penalty for illegal passing to $1,000.
According to AARP, Wisconsin is the state with the lowest fine for illegal passing at $30, but the most common fines across states are around $250 to $500.
In addition, Addy’s Law requires public school districts to prioritize bus routes to avoid imposing speed limits of over 40 mph for students at intersections.
According to a survey conducted by AAA, 41 percent of Georgia citizens admitted to exceeding the speed limit in a busy school zone. Thirty percent admitted to using a handheld cell phone in a busy school zone.
Dr. Kathleen Truitt, superintendent of Lee County Schools, told local reporters that 17 of the 64 routes in her district have been changed since the passage of Addy’s Law. The school district is working to ensure the safety of its students.
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In addition, Verra Mobility, a company specializing in smart mobility technology, has launched a school bus stop program in Georgia to increase safety in school zones. The program uses cameras to detect when a vehicle passes a stopped school bus within a control zone.
The images and videos captured by the camera are sent to law enforcement for review, and if a violation is found, the registered owner receives a summons in the mail.
A spokesperson for Verra Mobility told STN that the program issued more than 98,000 tickets for illegally passing a stopped school bus during the 2023-2024 school year. However, because tickets have been proven to change a driver’s behavior, the number of tickets issued decreased over the course of the school year.
“Verra Mobility’s stop sign program in Georgia has resulted in an overall 52 percent decrease in illegal school bus passing tickets from the beginning of the school year compared to the end of the school year,” the spokesperson said. “Some programs have seen as much as a 70 percent decrease in illegal school bus passing.”
Atlanta Public Schools is one of the school districts in Georgia where the number of citations has dropped significantly: It was 64 percent when comparing the first month of school with the last.
The program showed that 98 percent of people who received a ticket for passing a stopped school bus did not receive a second ticket.
