Labor Day was last weekend, which marked the end of the summer. This means that the children are back at school and the school buses are in full traffic, they will be slower. It is law to stop buses; however, every year there are unfortunate accidents involving injuries to children by drivers passing stopped school buses. The North Carolina Department of Transportation released a graphic explaining when and where to stop for school buses:
North Carolina School Bus Stop Law
When you are in one of the above situations, you must stop while the bus stop arm is off and the red lights are flashing. You should not start moving again, or attempt to pass the school bus, until the stop arm “has been removed, the flashing red lights have gone out, and the bus has begun to move.”
Take this law seriously
This is not just a trivial traffic law; Violation of the North Carolina School Bus Stop Law can have serious consequences. For simple violations, you could be convicted of a Class 1 misdemeanor and receive a minimum fine of $ 500. Willful violations can result in a conviction for a Class I felony and a minimum fine of $ 1,250. If you strike and kill a person, you can be convicted of a Class H felony and receive a minimum fine of $ 2,500 and also face much more serious consequences. Revocation of your driver’s license can also occur in certain situations. “
Not only are the penalties for violations of the law high, there is also a system in place to catch those who pass stopped school buses. Since 1999, North Carolina has been running a security campaign called Operation STOP ARM that includes the use of video surveillance to catch lawbreakers. Additionally, as The Dispatch reported, state troopers will frequently follow buses and will patrol areas where they have received complaints of violations; complaints most commonly come from the bus drivers themselves.
What can you do?
Therefore, it is important that you take this law seriously, as the consequences are far from trivial. Just remember that when it comes to school bus safety, know when to stop. Familiarize yourself with the rules of the road and always be alert when passing a school bus. Also, if you see any violators passing school buses, be sure to report the incident to the State Highway Patrol. Children are our future; it is our responsibility to keep them safe. STOP – It’s the law!