School Bus Stops Move With New Safety Law
City school officials are moving dozens of bus stops from busy streets in preparation for a new law that will require bus drivers to turn on flashing red lights every time children get on or off the vehicles.
The Thomas Edward Lanni School Bus Safety law--starting Jan. 1--is named after a 7-year-old Laguna Niguel boy who was struck and killed by a car in 1994 after exiting a school bus.
While the law is designed for safety, it also is expected to cause delays for commuters. Bus drivers now only flash their red lights--requiring motorists to stop--when they know a child will be crossing the street.
To help motorists save time, the Huntington Beach City School District has moved about 25% of 300 designated red-light stops, including most on bustling Pacific Coast Highway and Beach Boulevard, to less-traveled side streets. Students may have to walk farther to a stop but the inconvenience is justified, said Jerry Buchanan, the district’s assistant superintendent.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
