(a) No new school bus registered in this state and purchased after August 1, 2000, to transport public and nonpublic school students shall be operated or used as a school bus within this state unless the bus is equipped with a crossing control arm on the front of the bus that conforms to equipment and installation standards promulgated by the State Board of Education pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 22 of Title 41, commencing with Section 41-22-1.
(b) Priority in the use of any new school bus equipped with a crossing arm shall be given to the transportation of elementary school students.
(c) A crossing arm meeting the standards promulgated by the board shall be designed to swing out at least seventy inches from the front of a school bus each time the bus stops and opens its doors for school children to enter or exit the bus.