Police remind motorists to stop for school buses
Police are asking motorists to be more cautious in light of a higher than normal number of complaints pertaining to vehicles disregarding school bus stops.
“We’ve had an unusually high number of complaints from school bus drivers who are telling us cars are not stopping when buses are dropping off or picking up children,” said McMinnville Police Captain Bryan Denton. “We realize people have a lot of things on their minds, but this can cause a very dangerous situation where a child could be struck by a vehicle.”
According to state law, motorists are required to stop anytime they are on the same roadway with a school bus which displays its flashing “stop” sign denoting the bus is either dropping off or picking up students. The law pertains not only to two-lane roads, but also four-lane highways if they are not separated by a grassy median.
According to Highway Patrolman Mike Jones, only the separated portion of Highway 70 toward Rock Island and the separated portion of Highway 55 past Morrison do not require motorists traveling in the opposite lane of travel to stop. All other places, including most of the Highway 55 four-lane, require vehicles on both sides to stop. Under law, a turning lane does not qualify as a separated median.
“If you are in doubt, then stop,” Denton said. “The law says if you are on the same road, no matter which way you are traveling, then you should stop when a school bus is dropping off or picking up children.”
Denton said a citation for violating the bus stop law is quite high. A motorist who is caught breaking the law by a city officer and taken to city court can expect to pay $133 for the violation. Those cited into General Sessions Court by a county officer or highway patrolman can expect to pay anywhere from $250 to $1,000 for a single violation.