Officials push to give students a brake
Statewide program targets drivers who pass stopped school buses
Police officers across the state will spend their Thursday riding school buses in an effort to protect students from drivers who il- legally pass stopped buses.
Law enforcement agencies and school districts across New York will be participating in the 24th annual Operation Safe Stop Day, which will not only include police ridealongs, but also marked and unmarked patrol cars stationed along selected routes. The day isn’t just about ticketing offenders, according to Peter Mannella, executive director of the New York Association for Pupil Transportation, but azlso about educating drivers of the risks associated with passing busses while students are boarding or exiting.
“We try to do an enforcement day, but also use it as education,” said Manella. “We have bumper stickers, and we go to different meetings throughout the year to get the word out.”
Mannella said the organiza-
tion conducted a survey that found bus drivers in 38 districts reported more than 50,000 illegal passes on a single day in March. The group is promoting a host of events throughout the state on Operation Safe Stop Day, with elected officials and police officers discussing the need to protect children on their way to and from school.
Bus drivers also contribute to safety efforts, as they are made aware of the proper procedures when boarding and exiting the bus, such as paying attention to surroundings when opening the bus door and looking both ways before crossing the street, according to Mannella.
“We’re fortunate that we’ve had bus drivers grab kids as they go down the steps,” said Mannella. “In January, we had 5,000 vehicles pass the bus on the right side. That’s where the kids are.”
The association reported about 50 injuries occur an- nually due to illegal passes. Though fatalities due to illegal passing are rare, the risks are high as vehicles continue to pass buses while their stop signs are out and red lights flashing.
The association hopes to install cameras on buses to accurately track and report illegal passes, which would be helpful in prosecuting offenders and gath- ering further statistics, according to Mannella.
“If you can’t see flashing red lights and that big yellow bus in front of you, behind you or from either direction, maybe you shouldn’t be on the road,” said Mannella.
“Let’s be the adults on the road and do what we’re supposed to do,”
Operation Safe Stop is a cooperative project supported by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the state Education Department, the New York Association for Pupil Transportation, the New York State School Bus Contractors Association, the student transportation industry and state, county, city and local law enforcement agencies.