The threat of injury to school children getting on and off school buses is a continuing concern, and to help address that, the annual school bus safety program “Operation Safe Stop” will take place in St. Lawrence County on Wednesday, April 18.

Police agencies will dedicate enforcement patrols to monitor trouble spots along bus routes and areas near school zones. They are ready to issue tickets to drivers who pass stopped school buses (Section 1174 of the Vehicle & Traffic Law), or who commit other traffic violations.

New York State transports 2.3 million children with more than 50,000 school buses to school every year. While school bus transportation is generally safe, the greatest risks to passengers are times when they are boarding or departing the bus. Every day, an estimated 50,000 motorists illegally pass stopped school buses in New York State. Data from 2002-2007 indicates that illegal passing caused 75 injuries to school-age children.

School buses are most likely to be on the road during a three-hour window in the morning and a three-hour window in the afternoon. These three hour windows are scheduled where, for the most part, they are at the same location at about the same time each school day. School buses are noted for typically traveling at lower rates of speed and making frequent stops.

When a school bus is preparing to stop, the driver will activate the yellow flashing lights at approximately 300 feet before the stop. At the stop the vehicle will be put into neutral or park with the parking brake set to open the door and activate the red flashing lights with the stop arm/stop sign being extended and flashing. New York State law requires motorists to stop when the light is flashing red, as this is when the bus is receiving or discharging passengers. Drivers approaching from either direction must stop, even on divided and multilane highways. The law also applies to areas such as parking lots and school bus loops. The only exception to this law is if the bus driver or a police officer signals that you may pass the bus.

Penalties for a violation of the law can range from $250 up to 30 days of imprisonment for a first offense to $1,000 and 180 days in jail for repeated offenses. Each violation also includes five license points. Even worse, the memory of hitting or killing a child would last a lifetime.

Motorists are also reminded that, by law, school buses must stop at all railroad crossings. Drivers who are following buses should stay back far enough so that they are visible to the bus driver. Like other large vehicles, buses have blind spots directly behind and alongside the bus. Drivers should be able to see the driver in the side mirror—otherwise, the bus driver cannot see them. Also, when stopping behind a bus that is near an intersection, the motorist must refrain from blocking the roadway.

Operation Safe Stop is supported by the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and other state agencies, as well as St. Lawrence County school districts and police agencies. For more information, contact Mary Davison, the Safe-Stop Coordinator at the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program, at 379-2306 or via e-mail at mdavison@stlawco.org.