School bus safety laws are taking effect as students return to the classroom this week across New York state.

The measures are meant to cut down on traffic crashes near school buses and have motorists stop when a bus is picking up or dropping off kids.

"Back-to-school is just around the corner, and amid the hustle and bustle of preparing for the year ahead, the last thing parents and children should have to worry about is getting to school safely,” Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara said. “Unfortunately, there are still drivers who illegally pass school buses picking up or dropping off kids. It’s critical that we remind everyone around us of the importance of school safety.”

One law now in effect allows local governments to install cameras on school buses as well as stationary cameras in order to identify drivers who illegally pass them. School districts can also place a warning sign on buses to notify drivers of the cameras.

Another law allows fines collected from illegally passing a school bus to be used for a school bus driver training council to study the safety around the vehicles and create public service announcements to educate drivers on the dangers of illegal passing.