Friday, August 7, 2020
With many schools starting to open up across the state, Gov. Holcomb recently announced there will be an increase in police officers monitoring motorists as students get on and off school buses in the coming weeks.
More than 200 law enforcement agencies will be conducting extra patrols along bus stops and routes looking for stop-arm violations and motorists driving dangerously as part of the state’s Stop Arm Violation Enforcement (SAVE) program, which was developed by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute last year and is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
After a tragic incident in which three children lost their lives while boarding a bus in Fulton County, the General Assembly passed SEA 2 in 2019 to increase penalties for stop-arm violations and update other school bus safety measures. Under this law, violators can have their license suspended for 90 days or up to one year, depending on the number of previous violations.
Later that year, school bus drivers in Indiana participated in an annual survey and reported more than 2,500 stop-arm violations in a single day, reiterating the need for these safety precautions.
As Hoosiers commute to work or drive their own children to and from school, it is paramount that we all commit to being aware of our surroundings and the laws in place to protect Hoosier children.
For a list of school bus stop safety tips, click here or visit www.nhtsa.gov.
