As summer comes to a close, it’s time for children to head back to school. This means, once again, school buses, and school bus stops will be a part of the daily commute for all of us.
With school starting, the Carroll County Prosecutor’s Office and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office wanted to take a moment to remind everyone to slow down around school buses and school bus stops and to stop when the school bus stop-arm is extended and the red lights are flashing. Unfortunately, school bus stop-arm violations are all too common, not only in Indiana but also in Carroll County. As has occurred in the state, these violations can lead to fatal results.
Last April, the Indiana Department of Education did a one-day survey with thousands of bus drivers from across the state participating. For one day, 6,665 bus drivers from 195 school districts took part in an observational survey where the drivers counted stop-arm violations throughout the day. In just one day, the drivers recorded 2,041 violations.
Ignoring school bus stop-arms is not only against the law, it can be deadly. Several school age children lost their lives during the 2021-22 school year due to negligent and reckless drivers. This is something that affects all of us here in Carroll County as well.
“There’s no excuse for ignoring school bus stop-arms,” said Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas C. McLeland. “For kids to learn and grow, they must be able to get to school safely. Slow down and stop when you see buses on the road.”
Carroll County Sheriff Tobe Leazenby stated, “Our Carroll County law enforcement personnel will aggressively enforce stop arm violations.” McLeland added, “Our office pledges to prosecute violators that are reported to our office to the fullest extent of the law. Disregarding a school bus stop-arm is a Class A Infraction, which could result in fines and a license suspension, and could impact costs of insurance. If a driver is charged with recklessly passing a stop-arm, it’s a Class A Misdemeanor, which could result in up to a year of jail time. Further punishment could come if injuries or death occur as a result of the reckless passing.”
“The prosecutor’s office and Carroll County law enforcement agencies want everyone in the community to be safe”, McLeland continued. “We, as a community, have a duty and an obligation to protect the children of our community. Please be safe and please be mindful of our school buses and our children.”
