OLYMPIA â Drivers are illegally passing stopped school buses more than 200,000 times annually in Washington state, according to a survey by The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS).
During a 2025 one-day survey, more than 3,000 Washington school bus drivers recorded 1,156 illegal passings.
Approximately 340,000 Kâ12 students ride buses daily, traveling over 90 million miles per school year.
School bus crashes resulted in approximately 1,082 fatalities nationwide from 2013â2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In Washington, the State Patrol reported 271 collisions in 2024, with most caused by other drivers. Washington law requires drivers to stop for school buses displaying flashing red lights or stop signs.
On two-lane roads, drivers in both directions must stop.
Rules vary on three-lane roads and divided highways.
The Department of Licensing reminds drivers to watch for children along roadsides even after signals stop.
Failing to stop carries a $500 fine.
