Sentinel file photo A school bus leaves Mifflin County High School on its daily evening route.

LEWISTOWN — Despite annual enforcement programs and education initiatives in Pennsylvania, school bus safety is still a major concern for school administrators and law enforcement officials.

Earlier this year, school districts and law enforcement agencies participating in these educational programs witnessed 188 violations of the law in one day, up from the 176 reported last year.

Operation Safe Stop, an annual school bus enforcement and education initiative that has continued for 29 years, took place on Oct. 22 during National School Bus Safety Week.

This initiative aims to enhance school bus safety for students across the Commonwealth by curtailing violations of Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law.

According to Nicole Brothers, Juniata County transportation director, the number of violations varies from day to day; however, the violations occur at least weekly in various parts of the county.

“Some motorists seem genuinely confused when they learn that it is illegal to run red lights when the bus is stopped at an active pick up/drop off location,” shared Brothers. “If the (bus) drivers are able to obtain the necessary information to report motorists, the information is sent directly to PSP.”

Some safety tips for students to remember while waiting for or loading and unloading the bus include:

• Get to the school bus stop at least five minutes early, so you won´t have to run across the road to catch the bus;

• When waiting for the bus, stay away from traffic;

• Line up at least five giant steps away from the curb or the roadway to wait for the bus;

• Never run after the school bus if it has already left the bus stop;

• Never push when getting on or off the school bus.

While student safety should be a priority every day, this one-day targeted enforcement and education event documents drivers violating Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law.

This safety effort emphasizes the frequency of violations of the bus stopping law and highlights the importance of driving safely around students and school buses.

“Just one incident of passing a stopped school bus is too many, and this many violations in just one day is unacceptable,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Responsibly sharing the road with students and school buses helps keep all of us safe.”

Despite her knowledge of constant violations, Brothers reported that she is not aware of any accidents resulting in injury.

“Our drivers are vigilant, constantly scanning their surroundings, and will keep student(s) on the bus until it is safe to disembark if they see a vehicle that is not slowing down,” Brothers explained.

Brothers reminds drivers that if they see the flashing red lights, they should not pass.

Mifflin County Director of Transportation Amy Smith agreed, “Motorists should always proceed with caution near school buses, including school loading and unloading areas. They should be stopped when a school bus’s red lights are activated.”

Smith said she is not aware of any incidents resulting in crashes or injuries. Smith added that “far too often” buses encounter drivers who pass buses with flashing red lights.

The bus stopping law requires motorists approaching a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm activated to stop at least 10 feet from the bus. Motorists approaching from all directions are required to stop, unless they encounter a school bus stopping on the opposite side of a divided highway clearly separated by a divider, such as a concrete barrier or grassy median.

“Although there are steep penalties for violating Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law, they pale in comparison to a tragedy that could occur if either a driver or a student is not paying attention to their surroundings,” said Cpl. Zeina Black, Pennsylvania State Police permits and bus safety unit supervisor. “If a driver is stopped by law enforcement and convicted of disobeying Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law — the penalty is a $250 fine, five points on your driving record and a 60-day license suspension. The fine increases to $300 if someone is caught by a stop arm camera.”

“Student safety in school zones and at school bus stops is of the utmost importance, requiring the undivided attention of all motorists. Local school districts work hard to identify the safest locations possible for school bus stops and provide training for staff to foster greater safety for all students,” said Department of Education Deputy Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Amy Lena. “Vehicle operators can contribute greatly to improving the safety of our students by watching for the flashing lights of school buses and always stopping when students are boarding and exiting the buses.”

For more information about school bus safety, visit PennDOT’s School Bus Safety Tips page on the Driver Vehicles Services website. The website also offers an interactive video illustrating Pennsylvania’s school bus stopping law.