SC school buses will have additional safety features, increased penalties for drivers who pass unlawfully

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — In recognition of “National School Bus Safety Week,” state officials are announcing safety improvements to school buses statewide.

According to Richard Podmore, the Director of Safety for the SC Department of Education, the new features include longer stop arms on each side of the bus, bright signs on the back to alert drivers when the bus is preparing to stop, lit header boards that make buses more visible in low light, and cameras attached to the stop arms.

“What those will do is, it will detect someone who passes a school bus that has the stop-arm extended. It then sends an alert. We’re able to capture that incident, and we’re able to share that with law enforcement,” says Podmore.

Mike Bullman, Director of Transportation for the SC Department of Education says South Carolina’s fleet has come a long way over the past decade, which has included implementing electric buses over diesel ones.

“It was considered one of the oldest school bus fleets in the country, and now it’s considered one of the newest and most modern fleets in the country,” says Bullman.

Col. Christopher Williamson with the SC Highway Patrol says even as buses improve, they still see drivers deliberately break the laws regarding stopped school buses — with over 3,700 stop arm violations last year.

Williamson says failing to stop for a stopped school bus can result in a ticket for $1,062.50 — as well as six points against your driver’s license.

“As we recognize “National School Bus Safety Week,” this is a great time to remind everyone that school bus safety is a team effort and we all have a role to play in keeping our most precious cargo safe. And that is our children, our students, that we send to school each and every day,” says Williamson.

He also encourages parents to remind their children to stay out of the roadway while waiting for their bus, and not crossing or loading the bus until they see the bus driver’s hand signal telling them it is safe to do so.