School is back in session and Pennsylvania authorities are wasting no time reminding drivers they need to slow down and use caution in school zones, and especially when school buses are loading or unloading passengers. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (and Pennsylvania state law) drivers who violate the minimum safe stopping distance in front of and behind a school bus loading or unloading students, risk a traffic citation and fine up to $250, plus five points on their license and the possibility of a 60-day suspension of their driving privileges.

According to PennDOT there is ample reason for their recent warnings:

“Our ultimate goal is to make sure everyone safely arrives at their destination,” said PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch. “Motorists should avoid distractions and obey school bus and school zone traffic laws so we have the safest possible environment for students boarding and exiting buses.”

School buses are arguably not the safest vehicles for transporting students as it is. When you add into the mix impatient drivers who feel the urge to throw caution to the wind when approaching school buses and attempt to go around them, they become even more dangerous.

There is no good reason for passing a stopped school bus. Regardless of the situation, the law states quite clearly that drivers are not permitted to pass stopped school buses, and there are plenty of good reasons for this. Namely, that children are likely entering or exiting the bus and their behavior is completely unpredictable. kids tend to dart in front of traffic because they fail to recognize the dangers inherent in a speeding car. The fact is, kids just are not experienced enough, smart enough, to know they can’t walk in front of traffic.

For drivers the responsibility is their to be aware that stopping for a school bus is not only the law, it’s also a great way to show respect for the children of your community.

A Pennsylvania ban on texting and driving takes effect Thursday, adding to the number of states which effectively limit which devices drivers can use behind the wheel.

The Pennsylvania ban is not as tough as in some other states. Drivers convicted of violating the ban on texting while driving will receive a citation for $50, plus court fees and processing costs this might reach as high as $140. No points will assessed on the driver’s license and no need for traffic school, but police are empowered to pull over anyone seen texting and driving which is more than some states with no laws restricting distracted driving.

Not everyone is happy about the new ban on texting and driving in Pennsylvania. Critics on both sides the law does not go far enough to make a difference. Because it doesn’t address the use of handheld devices in general, some say it will not go far enough to fight distracted driving, which according to the National transportation Safety Board is the leading cause of vehicle crashes in the United States.

A recent study by the Virginia Tech Driving Institute found that drivers who text behind the wheel are a whopping 23 times more likely to be involved in a vehicle collision than drivers who are not. It makes sense that if you are paying attention to what you are doing, say, driving, you are going to do a better job at it.

For Pennsylvania drivers the new ban is just a helpful reminder that they should avoid all distractions behind the wheel, especially the use of a texting device which requires them to take their eyes off the road and even their hands off the wheel. If they need another reminder, police officers are being specially trained to determine when a driver is using a texting device and to pull over drivers they believe are distracted by anything.

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