Safety Laws

Since the Illinois General Assembly can’t pass a budget that can be implemented does not mean that they have been inactive. As a matter of fact they have focused on ‘Safety” this session and passed five bills to improve the safety of school buses. These include:

PA 95-0105 becomes effective on January 1, 2008. This bill allows the owner of a car accused of school bus stop arm violation to identify the driver of the vehicle or face a suspension of vehicle registration for three months.

PA 95-0176 becomes effective on January 1, 2008. This bill requires school buses to display a phone number on the rear of the vehicle to be used to report erratic driving. Districts must have a policy in place to investigative such allegations and report any actions taken.

PA 95-0260 becomes effective January 1, 2008. Requires district to have policies in place requiring the bus driver to walk the bus at the end of the day to be sure no children remain on the bus. Center Cass School District has required that buses be walked after every bus run for several years.

PA 95-0319 becomes effective January 1, 2008. Now allows the strobe light to be used anytime the bus is in service carrying a passenger.

PA 95-0352 allows both visual and audio recording to be made on a school bus. Notice must be posted and provided to parents and students. Recordings remain confidential and can only be used by school and law enforcement officials for disciplinary actions.

For more information regarding these new laws feel free to contact Pam Mazurek, Transportation Director at pmazurek@ccsd66.org.