SARASOTA (WSNN) – School Bus drivers carry precious cargo, so the Suncoast is spreading awareness on National School Bus Safety Week.
“People always say, ‘Oh, it’s just that one person.’ Well if that one person listened, my husband may be here today,” National Coalition for Safer Roads‘ President and Alert Today Florida’s Campaign Ambassador, Melissa Wandall said.
This is why, Wandall, who lost her husband to a red light runner, is spreading awareness on National School Bus Safety Week.
“It’s really a time to remind our motorists that we share the road with our most vulnerable pedestrians, which are our children,” Wandall said.
Sarasota Traffic Officer, Jason Frank, says driving past a bus’s stop bar is something they routinely see on the Suncoast. He says safety is key and the Sarasota Police Department wants to make sure you know when to stop.
“If a vehicle stops headed northbound, and there’s a median between the bus and the southbound traffic, those vehicles do not need to stop,” Officer Frank said.
But if there is no solid concrete-barrier, then everyone in both directions must stop.
“Once those flashing lights go on and once that stop bar comes out, it’s treated just like it is a stop or a red light; full complete stop, waiting until those lights are deactivated, waiting until that stop bar is back and secured against the side of the bus,” Officer Frank said.
If you fail to stop for a school bus, the penalty is a $271 fine in Florida. And four points off your driver’s license.
“When in doubt, play it safe,” Officer Frank said. “If there’s a question in your mind of should I stop or do I have to stop. Play it safe. Go ahead and stop, a minute of your time is meaningless compared to the safety one of those kids getting off the bus.”
American drivers illegally passed school buses 17 million times in 2019. That’s according to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services.
“Driving is a privilege, not a right,” Wandall said. “We have a right to keep every pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorist around us safe; at the end of the day so we can simply save lives.”
“The children of today are tomorrow’s future, so we need to keep them safe,” Officer Frank said.
Wandall says you can avoid becoming violators and victims. So let’s all be a part of the solution; put down all distractions, and help save lives.