New law to see drivers fined $3,000 and even community service for violating school bus rules – crackdown begins now

DRIVERS in Utah could face hefty fines if they are caught speeding in a school zone or ignoring a school bus’ flashing signals.

The state has decided to crack down on safety in school zones and implement fines that are more than double what they were previously.

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House Bill 345known as the Driving Sentence Amendments, were introduced in January this year and implemented earlier this month.

This newly passed bill now increases the fines issued for both speeding in a school zone and failing to follow school bus signals.

“It’s really dangerous. There are a lot of accidents all the time,” Michaela Riding, a Salt Lake City resident who lives across the street from Hawthorne Elementary School, told the local Fox affiliate. KSTU-TV.

“It definitely caused us some pain and suffering as we saw some people die or at least heard about it and we saw lights all the time, at all times of the day,” she said.

The speed limit in Salt Lake City school zones is now 20 MPH, with speeding fines increasing from $50 to $260.

Those caught driving in a school zone in the 30 to 39 MPH range will now face fines of $420, as opposed to the previous $125.

Violators aged 40 and over will be charged an extra $635, increasing the fine to $720.

And for drivers who haven’t learned their lesson, a second violation is even more expensive than the first.

Second offenses, under the new law, occur when a driver is stopped and ticketed for speeding in a school zone for the second time in three years.

Drivers caught in the 21-29 MPH range for a second time within that three-year period would now face a $320 fine.

Second offenders in the 30-39 MPH range would receive a $560 fine.

And for those aged 40 and over, you will now be charged a whopping $960.

The bill also changes penalties for drivers who ignore school bus signs, such as stopping and waiting when a bus is picking up or dropping off children.

The first offense is now a $1,000 fine and 10 hours of community service, significantly higher than the original $250 fine.

A second conviction within five years increases the fine from the previous $500 to the current $2,000, with 20 hours being set aside to give back to your neighborhood.

For those who make the mistake a third time, the fine is now $3,000, up from $1,000, and up to 40 hours of community service.

Community service hours are not new to penalties, however, the large increase in penalties is what the city hopes will dissuade drivers from going too fast or disobeying school buses.

These changes come after many authorities, and even police departments across the state, have called for stricter laws regarding safety in school zones.

In January 2023, two Hawthorne Elementary School students were struck by a truck while crossing the street on their way to school in the morning.

The two children were rushed to the hospital and, fortunately, no one died.

“There were some kids who were doing everything right. They were at an intersection, there was a crosswalk and they were walking with a crossing guard,” said Yandary Chatwin with the Salt Lake City School District.