BUCYRUS — Local law enforcement and school districts are using National School Bus Safety Week to remind motorists of their responsibilities on the road.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Bucyrus Post Commander Lt. Scott Rike said a school bus is the safest form of travel for a student going to school, but still at times students are put at risk because of the actions of careless drivers on the road.
Rike said the largest concerns come from motorists passing stopped school buses while the bus’s red flashing lights are activated. He said it is not illegal to pass a bus while its flashing yellow lights are activated, but suggests motorists use that time to slow down and safely wait for the bus to stop and load and unload its students.
Running the flashing red lights on a school bus is a mandatory court appearance, according to Rike.
“It’s my suggestion, that if it’s yellow, just stop,” Rike said.
He said troopers will be riding school buses and sitting in trouble areas for many of the districts.
He said motorists who commit violations involving buses rarely receive a warning.
“It’s about getting the kids to and from school as safely as possible,” Rike said. “I have kids in school, so I think like the rest of the parents out there that what if something were to happen. It would be a tragedy.”
Some school districts in the area have taken the next step to do their part in monitoring the roads.
Colonel Crawford and Buckeye Central school districts have installed interior and exterior cameras to provide surveillance on bus operations.
Cameras mounted to the outside of school buses allow the driver to take a photo of the violating vehicle and send it to the school’s administration and law enforcement.
“If something were to occur while the bus driver is driving, they can hit a button and earmark the moment and it is then referred to me,” Colonel Crawford Superintendent Todd Martin said. “We then can refer it to the state patrol if needed.”
Martin said the photo is clear enough to see the complete license plate number as the vehicle is driven away.
Buckeye Central Transportation Supervisor Deb Briggs said the cameras make reporting a violator safer and more efficient for the bus driver.
“It was about impossible to get the needed information without the cameras,” Briggs said. “It relied on the driver getting and remembering the plate numbers all while maintaining contact with the students.”
Martin said he does not believe the violations are intentional, but that does not make the actions less dangerous.
“I think a lot of people with distractions like cellphones, they aren’t doing it on purpose, but are so preoccupied they go through the lights and don’t even know it,” Martin said.
He said interior cameras have also helped minimize distracted driving by bus drivers, as drivers can earmark the moment of an incident while keeping their eyes on the road.
“The kids are aware of the cameras and it has really cut down on the horseplay on the bus,” Martin said. “They know if there’s an issue and the bus drivers have to say anything, then the student will be meeting with me.”
Martin, Rike and Briggs all shared that four-lane roads are serious concerns for school and law enforcement officials, while each naming a different location that qualified.
Rike said despite there being extra lanes, motorists need to stop while a bus has its flashing red lights on.
Briggs said she and other transportation directors and supervisors do their best to avoid having students cross, but sometimes it is unavoidable.
Rike added troopers do not need to witness school bus violations first hand to write a citation.
“We really appreciate the state patrol’s help with how supportive they are with reports being submitted,” Briggs said.
Martin echoed the appreciation for the patrol and Crawford County Sheriff’s Office.
All three added the number-one priority it to safely transport students to and from school.