School Bus Stops Move With New Safety Law

City school officials are moving dozens of bus stops from busy streets in preparation for a new law that will require bus drivers to turn on flashing red lights every time children get on or off the vehicles.

The Thomas Edward Lanni School Bus Safety law--starting Jan. 1--is named after a 7-year-old Laguna Niguel boy who was struck and killed by a car in 1994 after exiting a school bus.

While the law is designed for safety, it also is expected to cause delays for commuters. Bus drivers now only flash their red lights--requiring motorists to stop--when they know a child will be crossing the street.

To help motorists save time, the Huntington Beach City School District has moved about 25% of 300 designated red-light stops, including most on bustling Pacific Coast Highway and Beach Boulevard, to less-traveled side streets. Students may have to walk farther to a stop but the inconvenience is justified, said Jerry Buchanan, the district’s assistant superintendent.