Bus Safety Updates: Addy’s Law

     Bus safety has always been a priority in the Gwinnett County school district and in the state of Georgia; this means continuing to make our communities a safe place to grow. Governor Kemp signed House Bill 409, “Addy’s Law,” into law. The law requires the following: 

• Requires no crossing stops on roads with a speed limit equal to or greater than 40mph posted speed limit. 
  (20-2-1128-  In establishing routes for school buses, a public school system shall consider routes that do not have stops requiring a student entering the school bus to cross a roadway with a speed limit of 40 miles per hour or greater.)
   
• Since GCPS already prioritizes student safety through existing bus stop guidelines, the new law has minimal impact on our procedures. Here's how our guidelines ensure safety:
  • Street restrictions: Students are prohibited from crossing roads with speed limits exceeding 40 mph. 
  • Same-side stops: On high-speed roads (40 mph or greater), bus stops are positioned on the same side of the street as students' homes. 
  • Multi-lane road crossings: Students in Gwinnett County are never permitted to cross multi-lane roads.
  • GCPS reviews all 40,000 stops at least annually to ensure they meet our safe stop criteria.
     
• Additionally, starting next fall, drivers caught by police passing a school bus with red lights flashing will be issued a minimum fine of $1,000, a sharp increase from the current minimum penalty of $250.
   
• GCPS currently has 300 buses equipped with stop arm cameras. More info can be found on the School Bus Camera Safety Program FAQ page.

 

Questions you may have: 

Will GCPS have to change any of its bus stops? 
GCPS’ Transportation Supervisors and the Routing Department are auditing bus stops across the district to verify their compliance and safety. 

Does this mean my student will no longer have to cross the street to catch the bus?
Some GCPS students will still cross the street to catch their bus. Within neighborhoods, some bus stops are located on slower streets (below 40 mph), and students will cross. These stops and all GCPS bus stops are reviewed annually for safety. For students who must cross the street to catch their bus, GCPS reminds everyone to follow these important steps:

• Only cross the street when the bus has fully stopped, its lights are activated, and the driver signals it's safe.

• Wait on the same side of the street as your home.