Passing a stopped school bus with flashing lights and a stop sign is one of the worst mistakes any driver can make. The penalties are clear and different from one state to another. These penalties are often not easily disputed because of the fragile nature of the incident. So, what are the penalties for passing a stopped school bus with flashing lights?
The penalties for passing a stopped school bus with flashing lights include:
- A fine of $100 – $10,000 for a repeated offense
- Driver’s license suspension between 30 days to 1 year
- 2 – 8 points on your driving records
- Class A or B misdemeanor charges
- Class A infraction
- Hours of community service, and
- Possible imprisonment or jail between 10 days to 1 year
Penalties for Passing a Stopped School Bus with Flashing Lights
The penalties for passing a stopped school bus with flashing lights include:
| State | Penalties for passing a stopped school bus |
| California | First offense: $150 – $250 fine Second offense: $500 – $1,000 fine Third offense: one year driver’s license suspension |
| Texas | First offense: Misdemeanor offense, $500 – $1,250 fine Second offense: $1,000 – $2,000 fine and 6 months license suspension if it’s repeated within 5 years of the last offense. |
| Pennsylvania | $250 fine, 60 days license suspension, and 5 points against your record |
| Maryland | $1,000 fine and 3 points against your driving record |
| Nebraska | $500 fine, class IV misdemeanor, and 3 points against your record |
| Michigan | $100 – $500 fine 100 hours of community service at a school 3 points against your driving record |
| Kentucky | First offense: $100 – $200 fine, 30 – 60 days license imprisonment, and 6 points against your record.
Second Offense: $300 – $500 fine, and 60 days – 6 months imprisonment |
| New Jersey | First offense: $10, or 15 days imprisonment, or 15 days community service Second offense: $250 fine, 15 days imprisonment, and 5 points against your driving record |
| Florida | If you pass the school bus from the right-hand side for the first time, you will pay a $265 fine Repeated offenses within 5 years of the first offense will result in a $265 fine, and 180 days – 1 year driver’s license suspension. Passing the school bus from the left-hand side for the first time will cost you $165. Repeating the offense will cost you 90 days – 6 months of your driver’s license, and a $165 fine. 4 points will be added to your driving record. |
| Alabama | First offense: $150 – $300 fine Second offense: $300 – $500, 100 hours of community service, 30 days driver’s license suspension Third offense: $500 – $1,000, 200 hours of community service, 90 days driver’s license suspension Fourth Offense: $1,000 – $3,000, Class C felony, one-year license suspension. |
| Louisiana | First offense: $100 – $500 fine, up to 6 months imprisonment, and 30 days license suspension Second offense: 60 days license suspension |
| Alaska | $2,000 fine and up to 90 days in jail 6 points against your driving record Class B misdemeanor |
| Wisconsin | $30 – $300 fine and 4 points against your driving record |
| Rhode Island | First offense: $300 fine and/or 30 days license suspension
Second offense: $300 – $500 fine and 1 year license revocation. |
| West Virginia | First offense: $250 – $500 fine or 6 month imprisonment Second offense: $500 – $1,000 fine and 48 hours to 6 months imprisonment Third offense: $1,000 fine and 48 hours to 6 months imprisonment. |
| Minnesota | $500 fine and 90 days in jail |
| Illinois | First offense: $150 fine and 3-month driver’s license suspension Second offense: $500 fine and a 1-year driver’s license suspension if it happens again within 5 years of the first offense. |
| Virginia | Passing a stopped school bus with a stop sign and flashing light is considered reckless driving in Virginia.
$250 fine |
| Montana | $500 fine |
| Wyoming | First Offense: $200 fine and/or 20 days imprisonment
Second offense: $300 fine and/or 30 days imprisonment if it happens within 1 year of the previous violation Third offense: $500 fine and/or 6 months imprisonment, if it happens within 1 year of the previous violation. |
| Hawaii | $500 fine and/or community service |
| Georgia | First Offense: $300 fine
Second offense: $750 fine if it happens within 5 years of the previous offense Third offense: $1,000 fine and 6 points against your driving record. |
| North Dakota | $100 fine 6 points against your driving record |
| South Dakota | Class 2 misdemeanor $500 fine 30 days in jail |
| Connecticut | First offense: $450 fine Second offense: $500 – $1,000 and/or 30 days in jail with a 4 point against your driving record |
| Arizona | First offense: $250 fine, 2 points against your record, and a civil fine Second offense: $750 fine and 6 months driver’s license suspension if it happens within 36 months of the first offense Third offense: $1,000 fine and 6 months to 1-year driver’s license suspension if it happens within 36 months of the second offense |
| Utah | Passing a stopped school bus in Utah is a Class C misdemeanor offense
First offense: $100 |
| Colorado | First offense: $150 – $300 fine and/or 10 – 90 days imprisonment Second offense: $300 – $1,000 fine, 6 points against your record, and/or 10 days to 1 year imprisonment if it happens within 5 years of the previous offense. |
| Arkansas | $250 – $1,000 fine Misdemeanor charges 90 days imprisonment 400 hours of community service 21 days – 1 year Drivers license suspension |
| Missouri | First offense: 90 days license suspension Second offense:120 days license suspension $1,000 fine, Class A misdemeanor, and 1-year imprisonment |
| Iowa | First offense: $250 – $675 fine, 30 days imprisonment, and license suspension for 30 days. Second offense: $315 – $1,875 fine, 1-year imprisonment, and a license suspension for 90 days if the offense is repeated within 5 years of the first one. Third offense: $315 – $1,875 fine, 1-year imprisonment, and a license suspension for 180 days if the offense is repeated within 5 years of the first one. |
| New Hampshire | First offense: $150 fine Second offense: $250 – $1,000 fine, and 30 days driver’s license suspension If you pass a stopped school bus on the right-hand side for the first time, you will get a ticket with a $500 – $1,200 fine and 30 days license suspension You will get 6 points on your driving record if you repeat the offense within 30 days of the first offense and 120 days for more repeated offenses. |
| Idaho | $100 – $500 fine and 4 points against your record |
| Washington | $250 – $500 fine (Monetary penalty) |
| New York | First offense: $250 – $400 fine and/or 30 days imprisonment Second offense: $600 – $750 fine and/or 180 days imprisonment if you repeat the offense within 3 years of the first offense. Third offense: Revocation of driver’s license for 6 months and 5 points against your driving record if it happens within 3 years of the previous offense. |
| Ohio | $500 fine 1-year license suspension 2 points against your driving record. |
| North Carolina | First offense: $500 fine and a class 1 misdemeanor charges
Second offense: Your driver’s license will be revoked for 1 year if it’s repeated within 3 years of the previous offense. You will also get 5 points on your record |
| South Carolina | First offense: $500 fine, a misdemeanor charge, 10 days community service, and 30 days imprisonment.
Second offense: $2,000 – $5,000 fine, 30 to 60 days imprisonment, and 6 points against your driving records. |
| District of Columbia | $500 fine and 4 points against your record |
| New Mexico | Misdemeanor charges $300 fine and/or 90 days imprisonment 6 points against your driving record |
| Nevada | First offense: $250 – $500 fine Second offense: $250 – $500 fine and 6 months driver’s license suspension if it 1 year after the first offense Third offense: $1,000 fine, 1-year license suspension, and 4 points against your record if it happens within 2 years of the previous offense. |
| Oklahoma | $100 fine, 1-year driver’s license revocation, and 4 points against your record |
| Massachusetts | First offense: $250 fine Second offense: $500 – $1,000 fine and a license suspension for 6 months Third offense: $1,000 – $2,000 fine and 1 year license suspension |
| Delaware | First offense: $115 – $230 fine and/or 30 – 60 days imprisonment
If you repeat the offense within 3 years of the first violation, your license will be suspended between 1 month to 6 months. You will also pay a $115 – $575 fine or be imprisoned for 60 days to 6 months. |
| Indiana | The penalty for passing a stopped school bus with a flashing light in Indiana is a Class A infraction with a fine up to $10,000, 60 days in jail, and 8 points against your driving record. |
| Maine | First offense: Class E crime, $250 fine Second offense: 30 days suspended license and repeated offense within 3 years of the first violation. |
| Kansa | $315 fine |
| Oregon | Class A traffic violation with a $2,000 fine |
| Tennessee | $250 – $1,000 fine Class A misdemeanor 8 points against your driving record |
| Vermont | $1,000 fine 4 points against your driving records |
These are the penalties for passing a stopped school bus with flashing lights and stop signs. All the monetary fines mentioned in each state are up to the amount stated in the article.
Conclusion
Knowing the penalties for passing a stopped school bus with flashing lights and stop signs will prevent you from committing such an offense. You will not only end up paying a fine, but it may get your driver’s license suspended as well as some points on your driving record.
