DECATUR COUNTY, IN — The Decatur County Traffic Safety Partnership (TSP), which is made up of the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Paul Police Department, will be out in full force this spring to ensure that students remain safe when traveling to and from school. Over the next couple of weeks, officers will be positioned along bus routes and in school zones where they will be on high alert for stop-arm violations, speeding, and other forms of reckless driving.
The overtime patrols are part of the state’s Stop Arm Violation Enforcement (SAVE) program and are funded with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).
“Every time you see a bus, slow down, be ready to stop, and watch for children,” said Sheriff Dave Durant. “If the overhead lights flash red and the stop arm extends, you are required by law to stop. Under no circumstances, should you speed up to beat the bus. That’s beyond reckless and puts every child boarding or exiting the bus in danger.”
TSP joins more than 200 police agencies for the spring enforcement campaign, as part of an ongoing effort to prevent reckless driving in school zones and around buses. Last year alone, more than 2,700 drivers were cited for stop-arm violations by Indiana law enforcement, according to ICJI.
To address this, officers will be conducting high-visibility patrols in the morning and afternoon hours along routes identified in cooperation with local bus drivers and school transportation officials and within schools zones for speeding during times of drop off and pick up.
As part of the campaign, TSP is urging motorists to slow down, pay attention to the road and never pass a bus that has its red lights flashing and stop arm extended.
This applies to all roads with one exception.
On highways divided by a physical barrier, such as a concrete wall or grassy median, only vehicles traveling in the same direction as the school bus are required to stop.
It’s also important when approaching a school bus to be prepared to stop. Plan ahead and factor in extra time during each commute for school bus stops.
Disregarding a school bus stop arm could be a Class A Misdemeanor (Reckless Driving) and a serious offense. Violators could pay a fine of up to $10,000, have their license suspended for up to 90 days for the first offense or up to one year for the second.
Click here for school bus safety tips.
(Decatur County Traffic Partnership press release)
