How does federal law affect states that allow schools to use nonconforming vans?
Federal statute is the supreme law of the land and any sale by a dealer to a school is in violation of the federal statute, notwithstanding efforts by a state to make such transactions lawful. The primary effect of such statutes is to potentially defeat claims against schools utilizing these vehicles from grieving families in wrongful death cases or seriously injured children who have survived collisions in these unauthorized vehicles. States that don’t comply can see a withholding of federal highway safety funds, similar to what happens when states don’t enforce primary seat belt or drunk driving laws.
