I wanted to start this petition for change for several reasons. One is to support our school bus drivers and students. Their safety is very valuable. I am a parent of 6 children(one of those six is now an adult). I support their education as well as their transportation and I'm also my children's advocate. I have been to their bus stops to see them off to school and I watch them come back home on the bus. I have witnessed a lot of traffic violations when it comes to school buses and students safety. I have taken down tag numbers, recorded people to show the officers, yelled loud enough for drivers to hear me say slow down or stop; I have waited for the school bus to come to a complete stop, put the bus stop signs out and the bus safety arm out and I have stood in the middle of the road to see my children to safety. I have gone through safety measures along with the bus drivers to keep my children safe.
In the early spring of 2018 I was waiting for my children to get off the bus. The bus driver did everything she was suppose to do to get oncoming traffic in a two lane road to stop for my children to cross safely. The stop signs out, the bus safety arm extended, the bus/student safety signals to cross, vehicles behind the bus were stopped and the vehicles in oncoming traffic were stopped, I was just about to walk across half way like I always did and before I could make my first step into the road a car grazed me and kept going. I yelled at the driver for not stopping and at the same breathe, refocused my attention on my children. I signaled to the now in disbelief bus driver that I was ok. I continued on with my day.
Few days went by same bus stop routine and mine. No vehicles in sight. I was at the side of the road and my children were ready to cross and so was I and this truck not showing signs of slowing down or stopping, I had to yell for my children not to cross as the driver sped by us. My children and I are all safe.
These are just a few of several encounters that I personally have had and I am a parent. I have had numerous conversations with school bus drivers. It seems school bus drivers need more than just a voice or a horn. I have mentioned in the past in different states that I lived in because it's a problem everywhere; where I have suggested that buses pull slightly in a diagonal position to block oncoming traffic for our children to exit the bus and cross the road safely. It would be added to the safety precautions they already have in place this would be so drivers once they are stopped they can't drive past the bus. Calling the local police and sheriffs office to turn in tag numbers and/ or showing them video or for them to set up a school bus stop trap only for the police or sheriffs officers to either show up too early and then they leave because they get a call or they show up too late because there is a shortage for law enforcement in every town it seems. This just doesn't assist school bus drivers in keeping students safe. And it's frustrating for school bus drivers, school officials, parents, and students.

I would like a national law to be added so that school bus drivers can take extra safety measures like safely stopping the school bus in a slight diagonal position or safely block lanes of traffic so students, our children can get off the bus and cross the road safely. I want it to be punishable by federal law for it to be a felony attempted murder charge and endangering the welfare of a child(ren) when passing a stopped school bus.Please make this punishable by a federal law to be a felony charge. Charge drivers with an Attempted murder charge, Attempted vehicle manslaughter by endangering the welfare of a child(ren) when passing a stopped school bus. And with tougher fines and tougher penalties with longer jail time. I want every child to arrive home alive! They deserve that! Safe travels everyone and PLEASE BE PATIENT AND STOP FOR SCHOOL BUSES. Thank you.

I understand, some agree and some don't, some are doing the diagonal or blocking both lanes of traffic without and with permission all over the nation. It is definitely something that is being discussed all over the nation. I do value your opinion. Something has to be done to keep these young commuters safe and most definitely tougher penalties need to be in place, this is a child(ren) life in jeopardy. It's going to take everyone to bring this to the attention to the Representatives in Congress, Legislation, Local, State, and Nationwide to get the laws changed to protect all these students. I am hoping everyone signs and shares their thoughts and opinions. And even writes their Representatives in Congress, or Whomever to get this changed. And not stop until it is. So many people are talking about this and want action and it seems to continuously be falling on deaf ears. I decided I wanted to be part of the solution and assist by taking action in hopes of change. A bus driver's job is tough and at the same time enjoyable (most days challenging; at the end of the day all worth it). Thank you and Safe Travels.