Illegal Passes of School Buses Alarmingly High

During a one-day test of Washington drivers 1,523 people illegally passed a stopped school bus.

The one-day check took place this past spring in 29 states including Washington. Across the nation the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation recorded more than 85,000 bus passing violations.

After the May 1 test in Washington state, when 3,588 bus drivers in 110 districts reported violations, Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn is recommending school districts install cameras on their buses.

He says the most disturbing violations recorded were 32 instances of cars passing buses on the right.

That is the side on which students enter the bus.

The Legislature gave school districts the right to put cameras on buses in 2011.