With school starting for most area school districts this week and next, Dallas/Fort Worth roads will be getting much busier. This combined with the additional traffic from colleges starting at the end of August, and roads around here can get very busy —especially when you take into consideration the road construction present in the area.
While drivers are often in a hurry and trying to find ways to shorten their drive time, it is important to remember that safety is a critical issue especially when school resumes. School buses make frequent stops and are required to follow all traffic laws regarding intersections, railroad crossings, speed limits, and, most of all, loading and unloading their passengers.
It’s important to know the law where school buses and students are concerned.
- Illegally passing school buses can carry fines of up to $1,250 for a first offense.
- If convicted subsequently for this offense, your driver’s license can be suspended for up to six months.
- Tickets and fines for illegally passing a school bus cannot be dismissed through defensive driving.
- In many circumstances where school buses and school zones are concerned, offenses can include criminal charges.
The Texas Department of Public Safety has plenty of information when it comes to safe driving around school children.