The start of the new academic school year always creates a reminder of travel etiquette when it comes to school bus traffic.
Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced Wednesday that police agencies will be increasing patrols as early as next week to watch for stop-arm violations and motorists driving dangerously along school bus stops and in school zones.
The state’s Stop Arm Violation Enforcement program, or SAVE Blitz, is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through the Criminal Justice Institute.
In Indiana, it’s against the law for motorists to pass a bus that’s stopped and has its red lights flashing and stop-arm extended. This applies to all roads, with one exception. Motorists who are on a highway that is divided by a barrier, such as a cable barrier, concrete wall or grassy median, are required to stop only if they are traveling in the same direction as the school bus.
Additionally, children should always look both ways before crossing the street and arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. At the bus stop, they should stay six feet (five steps) away from the curb, and always wait until the bus comes to a complete stop and for the bus driver’s signal to board.
Officers who participated in the last enforcement campaign in the spring issued more than 5,600 citations and 1,700 warnings. Of the citations, 251 were for stop-arm violations and 309 for texting while driving. A high number of drivers, nearly 1,900, were cited for speeding.
