(Atlantic) Motorists are noticing school buses back on the road again as schools opened across the state this week. Iowa State Patrol Trooper and District #4 Public Information Officer Shelby McCreedy reminds drivers to remember the basics.
The amber lights mean a bus is preparing to stop; the red light, the stop arms, and everything involved obviously mean motorists need to stop to allow students to get off the bus. Additionally, drivers must stop 15 feet from the bus when the red lights are activated in both directions.
Trooper McCreedy says the buses are equipped with cameras, and transportation directors are good at getting these violations turned over to law enforcement.
McCreedy says first-offense violators can be fined $345.00 to $930.00 and receive a 30-day license suspension. Second-offender fines range from $435.00 to $ 2,560.00, along with possible jail time of up to 1 year and a driver’s license suspension of 90 to 180 days.
According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, 909 motorists were convicted of failing to stop for a school bus in Iowa in 2024. That was an increase from 842 convictions in 2023.
