Advocates has weighed in with the Senate Executive Committee of the Illinois state Senate in support for enactment of a provision in Senate Bill (SB) 3195 to update Section 11-1414(e) of the Illinois Code. This upgrade would improve safety for vulnerable school children.
Drivers illegally passing a stopped school bus is a major issue. Nationally there are an estimated 39 million illegal school bus passings each year, putting children in danger during the most vulnerable part of their trip—the moments they are boarding or exiting the bus.
Under current law drivers on roads with four or more lanes and at least two lanes in each direction of travel are exempted from the requirement to stop for a school bus picking up or dropping off school children. SB 3195 enhances safety by narrowing the exemption to roads with a raised median or physical barrier dividing the road and therefore requires drivers on both sides of an undivided road with four or more lanes to stop for school buses.
Advocates urges you to support upgrading Section 11-1414(e) to improve safety for precious school children.
Read the full letter here.