As summer break draws to an end, it’s nearing that time of year when kids will be heading back to school and school buses return to the roads.
Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney Brad Voelz is urging drivers to take precautions and be aware of their surroundings. Ignoring school bus stop-arms can have tragic or fatal consequences, according to a news release from Voelz’s office.
In Indiana, it is against the law for motorists to pass a bus that’s stopped and has its red lights flashing with the stop-arm extended.
Unfortunately, the release states, school bus stop-arm violations are all too common in Indiana. Voelz reminds motorists to slow down around school buses and in school zones, and to always make a full stop when the school bus stop-arm is extended and the red lights are flashing.
A national survey in 2022 found that almost a third of buses recorded stop-arm violations, the release states. During the one-day survey, 6,665 bus drivers from 195 school districts in Indiana counted and reported stop-arm violations throughout the day. In total, drivers recorded 2,041 violations, according to the National School Bus Illegal Passing Driver Survey.
Disregarding a school bus stop-arm is a class A infraction, which could result in a fine of up to $10,000 and a license suspension up to one year. Recklessly passing a stop-arm is a criminal offense, which could result in jail time. The punishment is more severe (up to years in prison) if injuries or death occur as a result of the reckless passing.