Highway Patrol to Conduct “Operation Stop Arm” to Promote School Bus Safety

 

Governor Mike Easley has proclaimed October 20-24 as Watch Out for the Child week to remind drivers that they must stop when a school bus' stop sign arm is extended. Each school day, more than 2,300 drivers violate North Carolina's school bus stop arm law.

 In support of Watch Out for the Child week the State Highway Patrol will be aggressively enforcing stop arm violations and other traffic violations in and around school zones. The Patrol expects Operation Stop Arm will decrease violations and reduce school bus collisions. Across the state, troopers will be working school zones and others will be following the buses. Troopers will be driving marked and unmarked patrol cars during the operation.

 “We must protect our children from traffic dangers,” said Colonel Walter J. Wilson, Jr., Commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. “The Highway Patrol will conduct this school bus campaign simultaneously in all North Carolina counties cracking down on stop arm violations. Motorists who try to pass a stopped school bus will be ticketed.”

Passing a stopped school bus is a Class 2 misdemeanor. If convicted, a person will receive five driving points on their driver's license and is subject to fines up to $200.

“We must ensure our children's safety as they travel to and from school,” said Bryan Beatty, secretary of the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety. “A child's life should never be put in danger just to save a minute or two during a daily commute. That's why we're going to make sure people know the law as well as the consequences of breaking it.”

"Every day in North Carolina, more than three-quarters of a million children ride the school bus to and from school. Throughout all those trips, the number one concern of drivers, technicians and supervisors is student safety," said Dr. Ben Matthews, DPI Director of School Support. "However, we need all motorists, not just school bus drivers, to obey school bus safety rules so that children will arrive safely at their destination."

For further information concerning school bus safety please visit the Department of Public Instruction's school bus safety web site at http://www.ncbussafety.org/.