By F. Scott Pauzar, III, Naples Personal Injury Attorney
It’s back to school season in Florida. As school buses and students hit the roads, it is important that all Floridians have a clear understanding of the role they play in keeping students safe during this busy time of year.
Florida has adopted safety laws that apply specifically to school buses, crosswalks, and school zones. While drivers who violate these laws can get tickets that carry fines and points, they can also put students’ lives in jeopardy. As a result, all drivers need to know – and follow – these laws, as well as obeying the speeding, distracted driving and other traffic safety laws that always apply.
Florida’s School Bus, Crosswalk and School Zone Laws: An Overview
So, what are Florida’s school bus, crosswalk, and school zone laws? Here’s an overview of what drivers and parents need to know:
1. Florida’s School Bus Laws
Drivers in Florida are required to stop when approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and “STOP” sign extended in most cases. This applies to drivers traveling in both directions. The only time when drivers aren’t required to stop is when they are traveling the opposite direction on a divided highway—and the law still requires them to drive with caution in this scenario.
Illegally passing a school bus minimally carries a $200 fine. Drivers who pass on the side of the bus where children enter, and exit, can be fined a minimum of $400. If a driver hits a student while passing a school bus illegally, the penalties are far more substantial—and the driver can face liability in a personal injury lawsuit as well.
2. Florida’s Crosswalk Laws
In Florida, “[a] vehicle approaching a pedestrian legally crossing the street at an intersection must yield or stop to allow the person walking to cross.”
This applies at all crosswalks, regardless of whether they are controlled by signals. As the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) goes on to explain, “If motorists fail to yield, they face a minimum citation of $164 and three points on their driver license. Worse, they can severely injur[e] someone – even taking their life.”
3. Florida’s School Zone Laws
School zones typically have low speed limits – between 15 and 20 mph – and with good reason. Drivers must obey these speed limits (and Florida’s school bus and crosswalk laws) while also diligently watching for students who may be entering the road unexpectedly. Speeding in a school zone carries fines ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars; and, tragically, too often it has other serious consequences as well.
We Fight for Accident Victims and Their Families in Southwest Florida
With offices in Naples and on Marco Island, Woodward, Pires & Lombardo, P.A. represents accident victims and their families in personal injury cases throughout Southwest Florida. If your child has been injured in an accident involving a school bus, crosswalk, or school zone, call 239-649-6555 for a free consultation today.
About the Author
F. Scott (“Scott”) Pauzar, III is a litigation and personal injury law attorney in Woodward, Pires & Lombardo’s Naples office. He has a broad base of legal knowledge and skills cultivated through over 15 years of experience as a litigator in complex litigation in both state and federal courts. Previously, Scott was an Assistant State Attorney at the 20th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office in Fort Myers. During his five years as a Prosecutor, Scott conducted over 30 jury trials. After leaving the Office of the State Attorney, Scott served as an insurance defense attorney for 11 years, where his practice focused on litigation of complex cases and catastrophic injuries. Scott now combines his jury trial and defense experience to successfully represent his clients in litigation and personal injury law matters.
Scott is a military veteran, having served on active duty in the United States Air Force between 1989 and 1993. He is a native of Naples, Florida. Scott received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Jacksonville University in 1996 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 2004. He is a member of The Florida Bar, and is admitted to practice in the U.S. Middle District and U.S. Northern District of Florida.
Woodward, Pires & Lombardo
Naples Office:
3200 Tamiami Trail N, Ste 200
Naples, FL 34103
239-649-6555
Marco Island Office:
606 Bald Eagle Dr, Ste 500
Marco Island, Fl 34145
239-394-5161