Posted: | January 17, 2018 03:32 PM |
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From: | Senator Thomas J. McGarrigle |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | School Vehicle Legislation |
In the near future I intend to introduce legislation that will require vehicles to stop when school vehicles are loading and unloading children. Recently, a constituent of mine brought to my attention that there is not a law to protect children riding in school vehicles. She has a son with special needs and has seen cars speed past the van while loading and unloading her son into the vehicle. Currently in Pennsylvania vehicles must stop 10 feet from a school bus when the bus is stopped with red signal lights flashing and stop arm extended. Under current statute, the penalties include a 60-day driver’s license suspension, five points on a driving record, and a $250 fine. This proposed legislation would enforce that those driving in the same direction as the school vehicle to stop when loading or discharging children, immediately before and after the stop, and while four way flashers are activated. Additionally, the department would require that school vehicles that pick up and discharge children on a highway have additional identification requirements. Please consider co-sponsoring this important legislation to provide children who are riding on a school vehicle the same protections as those riding on a school bus. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Daena Prinsen from my office at dprinsen@pasen.gov |
Introduced as SB1128