Police across Michigan are conducting a school bus enforcement campaign scheduled through Friday, Oct. 23.
The statewide campaign, called "Operation Safe Stop," began Monday, Oct. 19, during National School Bus Safety Week, according to a Michigan State Police news release. Participating agencies will work with local school districts on education and enforcement throughout the week.
Drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus face fines up to $500 and three points on their license, MSP spokesperson Lt. Rene Gonzalez told Michigan Public. Gonzalez said the license points can lead to higher insurance rates.
"It's a high fine between $200 and $500 dollars, depending on the jurisdiction of the court," Gonzalez said.
Consequences escalate if someone gets hurt. Passing a stopped bus and causing an injury is a misdemeanor carrying up to $1,000 in fines and up to one year in jail, according to the MSP release. Causing a death is a felony punishable by up to $7,500 in fines and up to 15 years in prison.
Michigan law requires drivers to stop at least 20 feet from a school bus displaying flashing red lights, whether approaching from behind or from the opposite lane. Drivers must remain stopped until the bus moves or its signals are turned off. An exception generally applies to opposing traffic separated from the bus by a raised median, physical barrier or another qualifying divider, unless a crosswalk or pedestrian walkway is present, according to MSP’s legal guidance.
A one-day survey of 1,738 Michigan school bus drivers in May 2026 recorded 950 incidents of motorists illegally passing a bus, according to MSP. The Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center reported 1,189 crashes involving school buses statewide in 2025, a 14% increase over the 1,044 recorded in 2024. Of those, 82 happened at bus stops where lights and stop-arms were activated, resulting in 35 injuries and no fatalities.
The MSP release cited two near-misses in 2026. In May, an 11-year-old in the Milan Area School District was nearly struck after a vehicle passed a stopped bus in Washtenaw County. In September, a vehicle driven by a 19-year-old sped past a bus on the right side in Bedford Township, missing an elementary student by inches.
Gonzalez said enforcement tactics vary by community. Officers may follow bus routes, increase patrols in problem areas or ride on the bus itself with another officer following in a patrol vehicle to stop violators. The state will reimburse local and state police for overtime costs tied to the campaign.
Ingham County Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth urged caution around school buses in August as districts across mid-Michigan returned to session, according to WILX.
"Operation Safe Stop" is a joint effort between the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), Dean Transportation and the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation. Separately, state Rep. Parker Fairbairn has introduced bills that would raise the maximum civil fine from $500 to $1,000 and increase the required stopping distance from 20 feet to 50 feet, as WILX reported.
Residents who witness school bus violations can report them to their local police department.
