TALLAHASSEE, Fla — If the penalties are more severe, fewer people will take the risk.
That’s the idea behind a bill that’s waiting for Gov. DeSantis’ signature.
The Florida Senate passed House Bill 37, which targets drivers who pass stopped school buses.
And it’s a big problem.
The Associated Press reports a 2019 Department of Education survey found it happens more than 12,500 times every day across the country.
If the governor signs the bill into law, the fine for passing a school bus displaying a stop sign will double from $100 to $200, and a second offense within five years would lead to a lengthy license suspension.
Passing a stopped school bus on the side where children get on and off would jump from $200 to $400.
If a driver is caught twice in five years, their license could be suspended for 360 days to two years.
“Drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus are either in a hurry or just don’t understand the variables of the law; either way, this is a reckless act that endangers Florida’s children,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins told WKRG.
The news station reports 89 percent of Floridians support the bill.
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