ALBANY - Schools across New York State are open for learning this week. Over 2.3 million children will board some 50,000 school buses in neighborhoods and street corners all over our state.

The New York Association for Pupil Transportation urges the motoring public to do one important thing and that is to stop for stopped school buses.  

When a school bus comes to a stop and its red lights are flashing ... that means that it is either picking up children or dropping children off. In either case, those red lights mean that you must stop. Section 1174 of the State's Vehicle and Traffic Law requires you to stop. Your own conscience and concern for our children should instill in you a need to stop.

NYAPT estimates that, on any given day, more than 50,000 motorists in our state will pass a stopped school bus and endanger the life and welfare of a child. With your help, we could have a first day of school when there are NO motorists passing stopped school buses. And then we can have a second day and a third day and every day with no children being endangered by illegally passing vehicles.