October 2, 2024
NEWS RELEASE
The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is reminding our community that October is School Bus Safety Month. With schools in full swing everywhere, it’s important to anticipate school zones and places where buses are loading and unloading students. The morning and afternoon commute to work and school can be very busy, and our Deputies constantly see people who are in too much of a hurry, especially around school zones and busses. This places an incredible amount of unnecessary risk to everyone, only to save a very small amount of time.
School busses are equipped with numerous warning lights and stop signs, along with camera systems to help record violations and keep the loading and unloading process safe. Motorists should expect anytime they see a school bus there may be children on the roadside waiting to be picked up or just getting off to return to their home at the end of the day. Everyday drivers anticipate the actions of other vehicles and changes in traffic to avoid being involved in a crash. Sharing the road with a school bus is no different as may activate their lights for loading, unloading, and at railroad crossings.
Idaho law states when a school bus has activated all of its warning lights and the stop arms are out, traffic must stop before reaching the school bus and cannot proceed until the school bus resumes motion or the signals are no longer flashing. This applies to traffic in both directions on roads with three or less lanes. On roads with more than three lanes, vehicles traveling the same direction as the bus are required to stop while oncoming traffic can proceed cautiously at the posted speed limit.
A 1st Offense violation for passing a school bus is an infraction and can result in a fine of $356.50. A 2nd Offense within 5 years can result in a Misdemeanor charge with a fine up to $1000 and/or up to 6 months of jail time. Aside from these penalties, drivers should consider the tragic consequences should they be involved in a collision that injures students loading or unloading from a school bus.
Always pay complete attention to your driving and avoid distractions. If your travels bring you near school busses or schools, expect to see extra kids in the area, slower speeds and marked school zones, and places where busses may activate their warning lights and stop arms. Be patient and consider the added risk to yourself and others on the roadway by not obeying traffic laws. Always wear your seatbelts and make sure children are buckled up in the appropriate car seat or booster seat.
