Are Traffic Citations Involving School Buses More Serious?

 Posted on February 21, 2025 in Criminal Defense

Recently, a driver slammed into the back of a stopped school bus in Waupaca County as the bus was letting off children after school. Thankfully, no children were seriously injured, and while the driver of the pickup was not charged criminally, he received four traffic citations: Failure to stop for a school bus, reckless driving endangering safety, operating a vehicle with a suspended license, and failure to have a vehicle properly registered. He faces fines of $1,676.00.  

In the state of Wisconsin, drivers can be ticketed for school-bus-related violations without being pulled over by a police officer. School bus drivers can send their own reports to the police, resulting in a ticket for the driver. Failure to stop for a school bus was among the top 50 traffic citations issued across the state of Wisconsin. If you are facing a traffic citation relating to a school bus, it is a good idea to speak to an experienced Racine County, WI traffic violation attorney to discuss your options.

What Are the Penalties for Passing a Stopped School Bus?

A vehicle approaching a stopped school bus with flashing red lights is required to stop at least 20 feet from the bus and remain stopped until the bus resumes motion or the warning lights go off. This law does not apply to vehicles driving in the opposite direction on a divided highway but does apply on multi-lane streets or highways that have no barrier.

Wisconsin recently increased the fines for passing a stopped school bus from $300 to $691. This offense will also add four points to your driver’s license. When a driver has accumulated 12 points, his or her driver’s license will be suspended for two months or more.

School bus drivers who witness a driver passing a stopped school bus can report the violation to police within 24 hours, including a description of the driver, the vehicle, and the license plate number. This is one of the few traffic violations a driver can get when a police officer does not see the violation occur.

What Other Traffic Tickets Could Be Given for Passing a Stopped School Bus?

Like the person above who passed a stopped school bus, if a police officer sees you pass a stopped school bus, you could also receive a ticket for reckless driving endangering safety. Depending on the circumstances, you could pay fines ranging from $145 to $1,000 and receive jail time of up to 90 days, with a minimum of five days. Your vehicle could also be impounded for this offense. This warrants speaking to a knowledgeable attorney who can aggressively fight these charges.

How an Attorney Can Help

Perhaps you did not pass a stopped school bus, or you were passing the bus at the same time the bus’s red flashing lights were activated. If the bus driver sent in a report that says you passed a stopped school bus, he or she could have been mistaken about the vehicle, or it could have been your vehicle, but someone else was driving.

While there is virtually no tolerance for driving behaviors that potentially put children at risk, contesting a ticket for passing a stopped school bus can be worthwhile. If you were passing the bus at the same time the lights went on, there may be video evidence that proves that, either from the bus itself, your own dash cam video, or another person’s video of the incident. Because the penalties are fairly harsh, it is worth fighting the charges.

Contact a Milwaukee County, WI Traffic Violation Lawyer

Whether you are charged with a misdemeanor or felony traffic offense, it is definitely in your best interests to have the charges reduced or dropped or to have the penalties reduced. The best way to do this is to have a Walworth County, WI traffic violation attorney from Bucher Law Group, LLC as your advocate.

Attorney Bucher spent two decades as the Waukesha County District Attorney, litigating some of the most complex cases in the state. Call 262-303-4916 today to schedule your free consultation to discuss your traffic tickets.