The Dane County Sheriff’s Office has launched an increased focus on safety of children boarding and disembarking school buses, which will consist of education for drivers, parents and children, as well as increased enforcement of traffic violations around school bus stops.
In an interview with Madison365, Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said fines for violations like passing a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing could result in fines of $600 to $1,300 and four demerit points on your driver license – and if you get pulled over, you’re getting a ticket.
“We will not be giving warnings,” Barrett said.
But, Barrett said, drivers shouldn’t let the fear of a ticket cause them to be more careful around school buses.
“Don’t do it for me. Don’t do it to avoid a ticket,” he said. “Do it for our children.”
The enforcement portion of the initiative will include an “all hands on deck” approach to placing deputies near school bus stops and schools, mostly in rural areas where the DCSO is the primary law enforcement agency, during the morning and afternoon times when children are getting on and off buses. They will also, in some cases, have deputies following buses.
“We’ll be increasing patrols in school zones and on bus routes. We’ll be in conspicuous and inconspicuous positions, in marked and unmarked squad cars,” he said. “Even if we don’t get you at that time, buses with cameras can send us the video. We will investigate, and we will issue citations.”
What to know
The simplest thing for drivers to know, Barrett said, is that when a school bus has its red lights flashing, you must stop 20 feet from the bus in either direction.
Amber flashing lights mean the bus is preparing to stop, so drivers should also slow down and be ready to stop.
One way to avoid a dangerous situation – and a ticket – is to get going a bit earlier.
“Add time to your morning commute…A lot of times, people are rushing. They’re not paying attention. That’s when we see reckless driving, speeding, and crashes,” he said.
And driving near a school bus isn’t always the same as driving anywhere else, due to the nature of the bus’s passengers.
“Students are excited and sometimes unpredictable, so you’ve got to increase your awareness when you’re behind buses,” Barrett said.
Drivers aren’t the only ones who should be vigilant, Barrett said – parents and kids have a part to play, as well.
Barrett said parents should be sure to be at the bus stop well before the bus arrives, and keep kids at least six feet away from the curb until the bus comes to a complete stop. When walking in front of the bus, make eye contact with the driver, and never walk behind a bus.
Plans to expand
Barrett said he hopes to work with other local law enforcement agencies in future school years to increase school bus safety across the county.
The initiative is getting underway in partnership with AAA Wisconsin and its “School’s Open – Drive Carefully” campaign.
He said there was not an increase in incidents that led to the initiative, but rather a desire to keep kids safe.
“As a leader, my goal…is to think ahead, not wait for something bad to happen,” he said. “Safety of our children is always our top priority … We just want drivers to drive as if it was their child getting on and off that bus.”
