Controversy Over School Bus Law

As a parent, motorcycle officer and DMV instructor, I’m quite familiar with the arguments for and against the Lanni law (“Legislators Revisit School Bus Law,” June 30). In my opinion, the law is unnecessary at best. While I sympathize with Tom Lanni’s tragedy, it was the only time I’d heard of an incident like this during my 18-year career. To create a law to stop all traffic in all directions without regard to local traffic conditions is as ridiculous as banning swimming pools because of their associated child-fatality rate.

Bus drivers are still required to carry hand-held stop signs and assist children when they cross streets to and from buses. Also, I know of no LAUSD stops where children are required to cross the street to enter their school either. To stop all traffic on major thoroughfares while kids walk from a bus through their gate exposes children to hostile and impatient drivers, a far more dangerous condition than those existing before this questionable law.

CLARK W. BAKER

Los Angeles

* Some of our legislators are trying to pass a bill providing exemptions to the existing school bus law. I agree that some exemptions are needed. It is insane to have a bus stop at the side of a six-lane major thoroughfare and flash the lights trying to bring everyone to a stop. On Warner Boulevard in Huntington Beach they actually tried to do this. Thankfully they decided to move the stop into a housing tract to avoid the problem. However, it still goes on on major streets.

There needs to be a law that on small side streets you need to stop, but on major roads you cannot expect to stop traffic during rush hour. This law will make kids more likely to cross the street in dangerous situations on large boulevards where they should not be crossing in the first place.

JUSTIN CHANDLR-ASTON

Huntington Beach