The Law mandates safer bus routes in Georgia and increases penalties for drivers passing stopped school buses, honoring 8-year-old Adalynn Pierce who was tragically killed in Henry County.
House Bill 409, sponsored by State Representative Lauren Daniel and signed into law in April by Governor Kemp, mandates Georgia schools implement safer bus routes and increases penalties for drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus. This law, which went into effect yesterday, was enacted in honor of 8-year-old Adalynn “Addy” Pierce, who tragically died on February 1 after being struck by a car while crossing the road to her school bus in Henry County. Addy, a beloved daughter and sister, was a third grader at Rock Springs Elementary School in McDonough.
On the day of the incident, the school bus was stationary on Jackson Lake Road around 7 a.m., with its lights flashing and stop signs deployed, as reported by the Georgia State Patrol. Despite these signals, another driver failed to stop and hit Addy with their vehicle.
“Addy’s Law,” as HB 409 is now known, was signed less than three months after Addy’s death. The law, heavily championed by Addy’s mother, Ashley Pierce, requires schools to plan bus routes that avoid stops necessitating students to cross roads with speed limits of 40 mph or higher. It also imposes stricter penalties for traffic violations involving school buses, raising the minimum fine to $1,000 and allowing for jail sentences of up to one year. Additionally, violators’ offenses could be reported to their car insurance companies.
