Key Takeaways:
- Pennsylvania law requires drivers coming from every direction to stop once a school bus’s red lights start flashing and the stop arm extends.
- Passing a stopped school bus can bring a fine, license points, and a license suspension, and bus-mounted cameras now catch many of these violations.
- When a driver breaks the school bus stopping law, that violation can support a negligence claim under a doctrine called “negligence per se.”
A stopped school bus with flashing lights signals drivers to halt immediately, since Pennsylvania law requires a full stop within 10 feet from every direction. When a driver ignores this or other school zone rules and causes a crash, that violation can serve as strong evidence of negligence in a personal injury claim. The injured parties can contact a Delaware County car accident lawyer to sort out fault and pursue damages.
What Is Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law?
Under PA Vehicle Code 3345, a driver approaching a school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop arm must stop at least 10 feet away. The rule applies from every direction, unless a raised median or barrier splits the road into separate lanes. This is the School Bus Stopping Law Pennsylvania enforces statewide – it protects children boarding buses in towns like Media, Springfield, and Upper Darby.
What Are the Penalties for Passing a Stopped Bus?
Passing a stopped school bus in PA carries real penalties, since a driver caught doing so can face a $250 fine, a $35 surcharge, five license points, and a 60-day suspension. Cameras mounted on buses under Act 19 add a $300 fine for violations they capture, though those citations skip the points.
Who Is Liable in a School Zone Crash?
“Liability” for a school zone accident in Delaware County usually falls on the driver who ignored the bus’s flashing lights or posted school zone signs. A driver who swerves around a stopped bus on Chester Pike and strikes a student is almost certainly at fault, since the flashing lights and extended arm gave clear warning. However, a school district can also share liability if signage or staffing fell short.
How Does Violating a Safety Law Affect a Claim (Negligence Per Se)?
When a driver breaks a safety statute such as the school bus stopping law, Pennsylvania courts can apply negligence per se. This doctrine lets a court treat the violation itself as proof of negligence, which lifts some of the burden of showing the driver acted carelessly. An injured party can then focus on proving the crash caused specific injuries.
What Should You Do After a School Zone Crash?
If you or a loved one was hit in a school zone in PA, take swift action. Call 911 and request medical attention; when help arrives, let an officer document a potential stop-arm violation and find out if there is camera footage. Medical care matters even for minor injuries, as school zone crashes often involve pedestrians or cyclists near a bus stop. Saving witness names and photos of the scene, whether near a school in Aston or Havertown, helps build a stronger record.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Does Pennsylvania require stopping on both sides of the road?
Drivers traveling in both directions must stop for a school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop arm. The only exception applies when a physical median or barrier separates the lanes of a divided highway.
Can a school district be held responsible for a school zone crash?
Possibly, if it failed to post proper signage or staff a crossing area. Before assigning any share of fault, courts look at whether the district followed its own safety policies.
How long is the deadline to file a school zone claim in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania generally allows two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury claim. Missing this deadline can prevent a court from hearing the case at all.
A Crash Near a School or Bus Deserves a Real Investigation. Let Our Experienced Delaware County Car Accident Lawyers at Eckell Sparks Look Into Your Case
If you were injured in a school bus or school zone crash, contact our Delaware County car accident lawyers at Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander, P.C. To schedule an initial consultation, call us today at 610-565-3700 or complete our online form. With office locations in Media and West Chester, Pennsylvania, we proudly serve clients in the surrounding areas.