Published: October 21, 2009 01:04 pm      

Highway patrol officers take the bus for National Bus Safety Week

Illegally passing a school bus might land some drivers in trouble this week as state troopers prepare to board buses in search of motorists who ignore school bus safety laws.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is in the middle of National School Bus safety week and agency officials say they hope the initiative which places troopers on random buses will help curb dangerous driving in school bus loading and unloading zones.

“Motorists should remember that state law requires them to stop for a school bus when its red alternating flashing lights are on. Loading and unloading are the most dangerous times for students who ride school buses,” said David Baker, DPS assistant director, Texas Highway Patrol.

Baker said highway patrol officers plan to ride random school buses statewide in an effort to find drivers who violate the law.

Motorists who are cited for passing a stopped school bus whose red alternating flashing lights are activated can expect to pay up to $1,000 in fines.

At least one local school bus driver said she has witnessed countless near-misses between impatient drivers and children entering or exiting school buses.

“About 15 years ago when I was driving a school bus in Marlin (a small city about 20 miles southeast of Waco) I had to stop in the left lane to let a little girl off. I knew it was a dangerous situation so I put on the emergency blinker and actually got out of the bus to stop traffic. The little girl had to cross just one lane. I was standing outside the bus to make sure she got across safely and suddenly a high school kid came flying through there and almost hit her. Thankfully, the little girl saw him coming and stopped,” said driver Dixie Hogan.

Hogan said she memorized the motorist’s license plate number and turned the information over to authorities.

The driver was charged in connection with the incident.

“He ended up with a $500 fine,” she noted.

Despite the threat of hefty fines, some drivers continue to ignore school bus safety lights.

“People don’t think it’s a big deal to go around the bus when the lights are blinking,” she said. “It happens a lot, and it’s so dangerous.”

However, school buses are reportedly one of the safest modes of transportation on the highway.

TxDOT reports that the state’s approximately 35,000 school buses transport 1.4 million Texas children each day. Traffic accidents involving school buses account for less than one-half of one percent of Texas roadway crashes.