Bus Safety FAQs

How will the school bus safety program work?

As part of our commitment to student safety, every bus in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools fleet is now equipped with advanced safety technology, including AI-powered stop-arm cameras. These cameras detect when a vehicle illegally passes a stopped school bus, capturing evidence of the violation.

This technology allows law enforcement to review incidents and hold drivers accountable for breaking the law and putting students at risk. Over time, the program aims to change driver behavior, reduce illegal passings, and help ensure that students travel to and from school safely each day.

1) When a vehicle illegally passes a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing and stop sign extended, the stop-arm camera captures footage of the violation.

2) The footage is securely sent to law enforcement for review to confirm if a violation occurred.

3) If law enforcement confirms the violation, a notice of violation is sent to the registered vehicle owner. Data shows that 90% of first-time violators do not illegally pass a bus again, making roads safer for students.

How often do cars illegally pass stopped school buses?

Preliminary data from Virginia Beach City Public Schools' school bus camera program shows that our buses are illegally passed more than 13,000 times each month. These violations put students at risk, creating the potential for close calls or even tragic accidents.

This issue extends beyond our community. According to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS), more than 45 million vehicles illegally pass stopped school buses across the country each year. The latest data from the 2023-2024 school year shows an increase from 43.2 million to 45.2 million illegal passes, underscoring the growing concern.

These numbers serve as a critical reminder of the importance of stopping for school buses. By working together to increase awareness and enforcement, we can help ensure safer journeys for our students.

How is the program educating motorists about when to stop for a school bus and promoting school bus safety beyond ticketing?

Throughout this initiative, Virginia Beach City Public Schools will collaborate with the City, local law enforcement, and BusPatrol to remind motorists of school bus stopping laws and provide important safety tips for students as they get on and off the bus. Our education and awareness campaign will include:

Outreach to local media
A digital campaign featuring social media and web content
Distribution of educational flyers and fact sheets on school bus safety
In-classroom lessons to educate students on safe bus riding and crossing practices

This ongoing effort will continue throughout the school year, keeping our community informed and helping to create safer roads for everyone.

What does Virginia law say about school bus cameras?

Virginia law permits school divisions to use video cameras on school buses to help enforce school bus stopping laws. School divisions can partner with private vendors to install and operate these cameras as part of their safety efforts.

When a vehicle illegally passes a stopped school bus, a citation may be issued to the registered owner by mail. Vehicle owners have the right to dispute the violation and will have at least 30 business days to review the evidence.

When should you stop for a stopped school bus in Virginia?

In Virginia, drivers are required to stop for a school bus when its red lights are flashing, its stop sign is extended, or when it is loading or unloading students. Vehicles must come to a complete stop and remain stopped until all students are safely across the road and the bus begins moving again.

Here’s what the law requires based on the type of roadway:

Two-lane highway: All vehicles must stop.
Four-lane highway with a center turn lane: All vehicles must stop.
Four-lane highway with a median or barrier: Only vehicles traveling behind the bus must stop. Traffic moving in the opposite direction may proceed with caution.

Following these rules helps ensure the safety of our students as they travel to and from school.

For more information on school bus safety laws, refer to the Virginia DMV

How much is the fine for illegally passing a stopped school bus?

In Virginia, the fine for illegally passing a stopped school bus is $250. If the violation is captured by a stop-arm camera, it is considered a civil penalty, meaning no points are added to the driver’s license.

Drivers who receive a violation notice will be provided with a link to the AlertBus Driver Education Portal, where they can review the recorded evidence. Data from BusPatrol programs shows that more than 90% of first-time offenders do not repeat the violation after seeing the evidence, reinforcing the impact of education and enforcement in improving student safety.

View an example notice of violation

How can I pay the citation?

Instructions for paying a school bus stop-arm violation are included in your notice of violation. Payment options include:

Online: Visit www.alertbus.com and enter your citation and license plate numbers to pay by credit card.
By phone: Call 1-877-504-7080 and follow the automated prompts. Have your citation number and credit or debit card ready. Please note that phone payments must be made in full.
By mail: Send a check or money order payable to School Bus Stop Arm Safety Program along with the payment form (located at the bottom of your citation) to:

School Bus Stop Arm Safety Program
P.O. Box 411472
Boston, MA 02241-1472

Following these steps ensures your payment is processed correctly.

What should I do if I lose my violation notice?

What if I was not the one driving the vehicle at the time of the offense?

If you were not the driver at the time of the violation, you may submit a signed and notarized affidavit stating that you were not operating the vehicle. Your affidavit must include your Citation Number, name, and address and must be notarized by a Virginia Notary.

Mail the completed affidavit to:

School Bus Stop Arm Safety Program
P.O. Box 1310
Newington, VA 22122

Be sure to submit your affidavit before the due date listed on your citation to ensure it is processed in a timely manner.

What if I am unable to afford to pay the citation?

Important Safety Tips

School Bus Safety Tips for Students

As a parent, you can help ensure our students arrive to and from school safely each day by practicing the following school safety tips:

Please consider sharing "watch" responsibilities with a neighbor so your children have an adult overseeing safety at their bus stops. If possible, use the buddy system and have your child travel in a group or with fellow students.
Be sure your child arrives at their bus stop 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
When the bus approaches, remind your child to stand at least 5 giant steps (ten feet) away from the curb and line up away from the bus.
Children should be taught never to run after the school bus if it has already left the bus stop.
Children should never run in front or behind the school bus to pick up something that he or she dropped or forgot.
Make sure you tell your child not to step onto the bus until it has completely stopped.
After the bus stops and the door opens, remind your child to take firm hold of the handrail and get onto the bus.
Never push another student while getting on or off the bus.
All students riding the bus should go directly to a seat and sit quietly. This allows the bus driver to concentrate on driving safely.
Students should never place any part of their body through the bus window.
On school bus routes that are dedicated to mid-day kindergarteners and preschool students, there should always be a responsible person waiting at the bus stop when children are dropped off from school. If not, the child will be returned to school and the parent will be contacted.
When outside of the bus, make sure your child is aware of the danger zones and is always within sight of the bus driver. The Danger Zone is a 10-foot wide area on all sides of a school bus -- an area where children are in the most danger of being hit. Children should be taught to stay 10 feet away from a school bus (or as far away as they can) and never go behind it. They should be told to take five giant steps in front of the bus before crossing so the driver can see them.
Students who are assigned a bus should ride that bus to and from school. Bus transportation ensures the safety of students who live long distances from the school grounds.

Road Safety Tips for Drivers

As the parent of a student, please review the following bus safety reminders for all motorists and share them with a neighbor or friend:

Never pass on the right side of a school bus where children enter or exit. This is illegal and can have tragic results.
Yellow flashing lights mean the bus is preparing to stop and load or unload children. Motorists need to slow down and prepare to stop.
Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm mean the bus has stopped and children are boarding or exiting the bus. Motorists must come to a complete stop a safe distance from the bus and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the stop arm is retracted, and the bus begins moving before they start driving again.
Watch out for children who may be thinking about getting to school, but may not be thinking about getting there safely.
Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood. Watch for children playing and gathering near bus stops.
Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
When approaching a bus stop with children waiting for the bus, slow down and drive with caution. Children are unpredictable with their behavior and they may accidentally step into the street unaware of traffic.

Safety Tips for Students Walking to School

Children should walk on the sidewalk. If there are no sidewalks and your child must walk on the road, walk facing traffic.
Children should be reminded to cross streets only at corners or crosswalks.
When crossing a street, remind your child how important it is to look left, then right, then left again before stepping into the road.
If a stranger approaches your child tell him/her to run away and immediately report the incident to an adult.
If possible use the buddy system and have your child travel in a group or with fellow students. As a suggestion, parents are welcome to organize a “group walk” so that students who walk to school could meet at a certain time and place and walk together in a large group. If you would like to help in organizing such a group, please call or visit the school office.
Whenever possible, please try to get the plate number of any suspicious vehicle in your neighborhood – particularly during the morning pick-up and afternoon delivery times. Please report this information to the police and the school.

Links and Resources for More Information

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