WASHINGTON (WOWO) — U.S. Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) on Tuesday introduced legislation aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of illegally passing stopped school buses.

The bill, called the Brake for Kids Act, would direct the U.S. Department of Transportation to launch a national public safety campaign warning drivers about the risks of ignoring stop arms and flashing lights on school buses.

A 2024 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report found that nearly one-quarter of drivers surveyed were unaware it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus.

“Every school year, far too many illegal school bus passings occur, which puts the lives of students at risk,” Young said in a statement. “Our bill will raise awareness about the dangers of passing a stopped school bus to help ensure that our kids make it to and from school safely.”

Peters added, “Parents need to know their kids are safe taking the bus to and from school. That’s why I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan, commonsense legislation to raise awareness of the dangers of illegally passing school buses and promote best practices for making our communities safer.”

Companion legislation was also introduced in the U.S. House by Reps. Rudy Yakym (R-Ind.-02), Pete Stauber (R-Minn.-08), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.-06), and Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26).

Young and Peters have previously teamed up on similar efforts, including the Stop for School Buses Act introduced in 2019 and 2021.