Drivers on four-lane roads in Florence, Union, Burlington and Hebron face a new legal obligation when Boone County Schools opens Aug. 19: stop for school buses in both directions, or risk a $300 fine.
House Bill 7, which took effect July 15, eliminates the old exemption that allowed drivers on roads with four or more lanes to pass a stopped school bus traveling the opposite direction. Under the new law, all lanes of traffic must now stop when a bus has its stop arm extended and red lights flashing, unless the road is divided by an elevated barrier or an unpaved grass median.
That means roads with painted medians, paved medians or center turn lanes all require a full stop in every lane. The rule on two-lane roads is unchanged.
"Now, drivers must stop unless there is a divider between the sets of lanes, such as a raised concrete barrier or a grass median," Kentucky Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher said in a statement Aug. 8. "This is an important change to help increase the safety of the almost 400,000 students who ride a bus to school each day."
Covington Police Lt. Justin Bradbury told Fox 19 in late July that the law will directly affect roads like Dixie Highway, where there is no raised barrier or grass median separating lanes. Drivers in oncoming traffic on those stretches will now be required to stop when a bus is loading or unloading children.
Penalties for violations
The penalties are steep.
The $300 civil penalty applies to first-offense violations captured by bus-mounted stop arm cameras. A second camera violation within three years jumps to $500. Camera-based penalties do not add points to a driver's record, but failure to pay within 60 days can result in suspension of the vehicle's registration.
Criminal penalties go further. A driver cited by a law enforcement officer faces a fine of $200 to $500 or 30 to 60 days in jail for a first offense, plus a minimum six points on their driving record upon conviction. Repeat offenses within three years carry fines up to $1,000 or up to six months in jail.
HB 7 also authorizes school districts to install camera monitoring systems on buses to catch violators. Districts may contract with private vendors to operate the cameras, and buses equipped with them must display a warning sign.
What drivers need to remember
You must stop on four-lane roads with painted medians, paved medians or center turn lanes when a bus has its arm out.
You do not need to stop if the road has an elevated concrete barrier or an unpaved grass median separating opposing lanes.
The Florence Police Department and the Boone County Sheriff's Office handle traffic enforcement across the coverage area. Stop arm violations can also be enforced by school resource officers.
Boone County Schools opens for the 2026-2027 school year Aug. 19.
