Refresher on Texas laws regarding school buses unloading students

Locally, a 66 year old lady decided to pass an unloading school bus and ended up running over a student's leg.  Cesar Rodriguez of the Laredo Morning Times reported:

Evangelina Cantu Guevara, 66, was arrested and charged with passing a school bus, causing serious bodily injury, in the 4700 block of Sierra Vista Boulevard around 3 p.m. Monday.

Baeza said Cantu Guevara, who was driving a white passenger vehicle, remained at the scene.

Capt. Eloy Vega, Laredo Fire Department spokesman, said the boy was taken to the Laredo Medical Center in stable condition. Vega added the boy had “an injury to a lower extremity.” First responders say he was expected to recover. Meanwhile, authorities arrested Cantu Guevara at the scene.

Her charge is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year of confinement and a $4,000 fine. Custody records Tuesday evening showed the woman had posted bail.

As a reminder, here are the Texas Department of Public Safety's laws governing unloading school buses

State law requirements
State law requires approaching drivers to stop when a school bus is stopped and operating a visual signal (red flashing lights or a stop sign). Drivers should not proceed until the school bus resumes motion; the driver is signaled by the bus driver to proceed; or the visual signal is no longer activated. A driver does not have to stop for a school bus if it is on a highway with roadways separated by an intervening space or physical barrier.

(If a highway is divided only by a left-turning lane, the roadways are not separated and drivers must stop for school buses.)

Punishment for drivers who do not stop
Drivers who do not stop for school buses face a fine of up to $1,000. If a driver is convicted of this offense more than one time, DPS can suspend their license for up to six months.
“DPS has zero tolerance for vehicles that pass stopped school buses,” Davis said. “Drivers must slow down, obey school zone speed limits and stop for school buses to ensure the safety of Texas school children.”
For more information on school bus safety, please contact DPS School Bus Safety Program Administrator Charley Kennington at 254-759-7235 or the Public Information Office at 512-424-2080. More information is also located at http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/schoolbus.