The school year is under way, and I’m asking you to keep an eye out for students walking to school and to adhere to state laws regarding stopped school buses.
Remember, police are watching. About 500 drivers were cited in early September as part of a Pittsburgh police crackdown on speeding in school zones. Officers also cited 12 people for passing stopped school buses while their flashers were blinking.

Violating Pennsylvania’s school bus stopping law carries a $250 fine, five points on a driving record and a 60-day license suspension.
If you need to refresh yourself on the rules regarding stopped school buses, please visit www.drivesafepa.org, click on the traffic safety information center tab and then click on school bus safety on the left side of the page.

Also, please watch for students in school zones and slow down – the posted limit is 15 miles per hour when required. Speeding violations carry a fine and three points on your driver’s record. And when possible, give yourself extra time to get to where you are going so you can stay calm behind the wheel and pay attention for children heading off to school.
Finally, please hang up and drive. Don’t let your cell phone distract you from keeping your eyes on the road. Distracted driving caused by motorists using a cell phone has cost too many lives and caused too many injuries across Pennsylvania.

That’s why I am a co-sponsor of H.B. 189 that would ban the use of electronic wireless communications devices while driving in Pennsylvania.