With schools opening these first few weeks in August, across the Red River Radio listening area, police want to remind drivers to be careful with school buses on the road. According to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, (LHSC) nearly 78,000 illegal passes of school buses happen every year statewide. A recent national survey indicates 41.8 million school bus stop-arm violations occur yearly in the U.S.
State Trooper Eddie Thomas cautions drivers to pay attention to the bus’s flashing lights and stop sign when the bus makes a stop. That’s because children are either entering or exiting the bus: “And you have vehicles travelling in two different directions, when the bus turns on its stop sign, cars going in both directions need to stop.” Thomas says all traffic must come to a complete stop at least 30 feet away.
As reported by the Louisiana Radio Network (LRN), if you are on a four-lane highway with a physical barrier, a raised median or a continuous turn lane – Thomas says you don’t have to stop. “All the traffic moving in the same direction as the bus is required to stop when the bus’s red lights are flashing. However, oncoming traffic does need to proceed with caution.” But again, that’s only for four-lane highways with a physical barrier. Otherwise, cars headed in both directions must stop.
A ticket for the violation can cost as much as $500 and/or six months in jail. Violators may also have their driver’s license suspended for 30 days for the first offense, 60 days for second, and 1 year for their third. Violators may also see insurance premiums increase.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), From 2011 and 2020, there were 1.6 times more fatalities among pedestrians than occupants of school buses in school-bus-related crashes.
