School Starts Today in Macon County: School Bus Safety Tips

School starts today in Macon County, so be on the lookout for children at bus stops, getting on and off buses and be on the lookout for the buses themselves and don't be passing stopped school buses whether they are in your lane or not! It could cost a child his or her life or a $500 fine and 5 points on your driver's license.

Here is the law in North Carolina regarding when drivers are required to stop for school buses:

When a school bus is displaying its mechanical stop signal or flashing red lights and the bus is stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging passengers, the driver of any other vehicle that approaches the school bus from any direction on the same street, highway, or public vehicular area shall bring that other vehicle to a full stop and shall remain stopped. The driver of the other vehicle shall not proceed to move, pass, or attempt to pass the school bus until after the mechanical stop signal has been withdrawn, the flashing red stoplights have been turned off, and the bus has started to move.

If you see someone violating the North Carolina School Bus Law (NCGS 20-217), please download and use these documents after you have called *HP on your cell phone. Report of violation of School Bus Law (G. S. 20-217)
(MS Doc file) or (PDF file)

For more information on North Carolina’s Stop Arm Law, please go to the following link: http://www.ncbussafety.org/SchoolBusSafety/SBSWlaw.html

Here are some tips from the North Carolina Department of Transportation:

RALEIGH – It’s back to school time for nearly 1.5 million students across the state Monday, which means North Carolina’s roads will be jam-packed with cars, buses and pedestrians.

As we prepare for the new school year, the N.C. Department of Transportation urges students and motorists to stay alert and exercise caution on the road, especially around crosswalks, school buses and bus stops.

Each year in North Carolina, more than 2,000 pedestrians are injured and 160 are killed in collisions with vehicles. In the last two school years, five students have been killed either crossing the road to or from a bus or while standing at a bus stop.

“ Keeping our students safe is a priority and these tragic accidents can be avoided if we all practice simple safety measures, “said NCDOT Secretary Tony Tata. “We urge students to be careful when crossing the street and drivers to do their part by keeping a close eye on students who are getting on or off school buses, as well as students and teachers who are walking to and from school.”

NCDOT offers students a few basic rules of safety as they head back to school:

• Cross in the crosswalk.
• Look for cars in all directions—including those turning left or right—before crossing the street; never
assume a driver will stop.
• Be careful when crossing multiple lanes of traffic. Make sure each lane of traffic is clear before you cross.
• Pay attention to where you’re walking and take the focus off your cell phone or other electronic device. A
moment of distraction could have disastrous consequences.
• Be predictable to drivers and follow the rules of the road—obey signs and signals.
• Cross the street where you have the best view of traffic.
• Always walk on the sidewalk; if there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far from the road as you can.

NCDOT reminds motorists of these basic driving tips as the new school year approaches:

Always stop for a stopped school bus. If the lights are flashing and the stop sign is out, you must stop,
including in the following situations:

• If you are traveling a two-lane road, all traffic in both directions must stop.
• If you are traveling a two-lane road with a center turn lane, all traffic from both directions must stop.
• If you are traveling a four-lane road without a median separation, all traffic from both directions must stop.
• If you are traveling a divided highway of four lanes or more with a median separation, only traffic following the
bus must stop.
• If you are traveling a road with four or more lanes with a center turn lane, only traffic following the bus must stop.
• Be prepared to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
• Never pass a vehicle that is stopped for pedestrians.
• Before making a turn, be sure the path is clear of any pedestrians.
• Slow down in areas where you are likely to find pedestrians, such as near bus stops, schools and playgrounds.
• Avoid distractions such as food, passengers and using mobile devices.

North Carolina has stiff penalties for motorists who fail to comply with school bus safety rules.

• There is a $500 penalty for motorists who are caught passing a stopped school bus, with the possibility of
license revocation.
• There is a $250 penalty for speeding in a school zone in North Carolina.
• Passing a stopped school bus can cost motorists five points on their driver’s license and eight points for
commercial vehicles.

I also posted some information about stopping for school buses last year.