VTL 1174a, Failed to Stop for School Bus

Please note this page is not about tickets issued by camera. It is limited to tickets issued by a police officer.

Vehicle & Traffic Law § 1174(a) concerns the violation of passing a school bus. The exact wording of the statute can be found here. Both sides of traffic, even if going opposite ways, must wait for the stop sign to retreat before moving. The only exception to the above rule is if a police officer otherwise directs you around the bus. In absence of this, a driver who overtakes a school bus when it is stopped will be receiving a serious ticket.

For obvious reasons, courts and prosecutors take school bus tickets very seriously. The monetary penalty for a first-time school bus ticket is one of the heftier fines, with a range of $250-$400 (plus mandatory surcharge of $88 or $93). The exact number is up to the Judge’s discretion. While speeding tickets are subject to occasional leniency, endangering children might not be. In addition to a significant fine, a conviction will also result in 5 points on your driver’s license. For context, this is higher than some speeding tickets and most moving violations. In addition, there is also the possibility of being sentenced to 30 days in jail. Judges can choose to either assign a fine, a term of imprisonment or both for this offense.

Many tickets compound their penalties. The school bus ticket is no exception. A second time offense within three years expands the range to $600-$750 and/or possible imprisonment of up to 180 days. A third conviction within three years raises the range further to $750-$1,000, with the possibility of imprisonment of 180 days.

The Benjamin Goldman Law Office has handled many such tickets. We are a law firm that fights traffic tickets across New York State. We have successfully handled VTL 1174(a) charges in Queens and Colonie, among other places. Most motorists do not purposefully pass a school bus. Almost all of our clients have had some sort of defense, which we incorporated in our representation to the court. We are willing to take on your passing school bus charges. It does not matter if you have a good excuse or no excuse for passing the school bus. You can get in touch with us to discuss.

Fight a VTL § 1174a Ticket