Operation Safe Stop

BINGHAMTON, NY - According to the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (NYSGTSC), approximately 50,000 school buses travel on our roads and highways every day. These school buses are filled with more than 2.3 million children each day during the school year. An estimated 50,000 motor vehicles will illegally pass these school buses every single day in our own state. Violating school bus traffic laws threatens the health and safety of our children. Between the years 2002 and 2004, 69 students were injured by motorists who illegally passed a stopped school bus. During this time, one child was killed. Dangerous driving behaviors such as this one have become a serious problem in New York State?one that can have severe consequences. Local law enforcement agencies can only do so much to keep our roadways safe for our children. We need your help as motorists to be diligent about stopping for school buses when the red lights are flashing!

Every year with the help of the NYSGTSC, the New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) conducts a day called “Operation Safe Stop.” This year, October 12, 2006, will mark the fall Operation Safe Stop Program. Operation Safe Stop seeks to promote school bus safety through education and enforcement. On this day, school officials and local law enforcement agencies will work together with school bus officials on special school bus surveillance activities and enforcement efforts. Police officers will board school buses and ride in marked and unmarked patrol units, including motorcycles, and travel behind moving school buses and in heavy traffic areas, focusing only on issuing tickets to drivers who pass stopped school buses.

Illegally passing a stopped school bus can result in costly fines and even possible imprisonment for a driver. A minimum fine for a first conviction is $250 and a maximum fine is $400. Passing a school bus for the first time can actually land a motorist in prison for up to 30 days. As the convictions become more frequent, the cost of the penalties becomes more expensive. If a driver is convicted of the same school bus traffic violation for the third time (within 3 years) the minimum fine goes up to $750 with a maximum fine of $850 and up to 180 days of possible imprisonment. To avoid costly fines, prison time and the possibility of hitting a child, a driver should follow these easy school bus safety rules:

• Flashing lights mean the bus is picking up or discharging students.
• It is against the law to pass a school bus when the large red lights located on the top of the bus are flashing or when the stop signal arm is extended. This includes buses that are:
  • On opposite sides of divided highways
  • On multiple lane roadways
  • In parking lots
  • On school grounds in front of school entrances
• You must stop whether you are approaching the school bus from the front or overtaking it from the rear.
• Always watch carefully for children near school buildings, in areas where school buses are traveling or where there are signs for school zones or bus stops.
• The only time it is ever acceptable to pass a school bus is if the bus driver or a police officer signals that you may pass.

To learn more about Operation Safe Stop or school bus safety, visit the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee website at www.safeny.org or the New York Sate Association for Pupil Transportation website at www.nyapt.org.

CONTACT:
Carrie Abbott, Supervising Public Health Educator
Broome County Health Department: 607.778.2884
email: cabbott@co.broome.ny.us

Christine Muss, Traffic Safety Coordinator
Broome County Health Department: 607.778.2807
email: cmuss@co.broome.ny.us

Older Press Releases are online for archival purposes only. If you need updated information regarding items contained in these press releases please call or email the contact person listed for the release. Thank you.