NewsLocal News

Actions

Mom fed up with school bus stop arm violations

Posted
and last updated

LANSING, Mich. — Drivers across the country, including Michigan, are putting students in danger.

Bus drivers and parents in Mason are seeing more and more people breaking a major road rule - don't pass a school bus when the stop arm is extended.

"It could happen to anybody's kid," said Angela Moore, who's daughter rides a Mason Public Schools bus.

More than 95,319 people illegally pass school buses every day.

A National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services survey shows more than 500 of those violations happen in Michigan.

Mason Public Schools provided Fox 47 video from one of its buses showing a car not stopping last week.

"I'm not sure there's not a good word to describe how I feel about when people don't stop for the bus," said Moore.

In Michigan, everyone is required to stop when the stop arm comes out unless there is a median between you and the bus.

Moore said people aren't doing that at her daughter's stop near Holt and Hagadorn.

"They're not really allowing her to cross, It's not safe at all for her to get on the bus. They're in a hurry as you can tell," she said.

Moore said her daughter was nearly hit getting on the bus.

"It's very scary. It shouldn't be scary to get your kid on the bus to go to school. It shouldn't be something you worry about," said Angela Moore.

And it's just as scary for the bus driver.

"It's scary to sit in that bus driver's seat and all of a sudden have a stop you're making and you see a vehicle is not going to stop behind you," said Ingham Intermediate School District Transportation Director Tracey Moore.

Tracey said she can't believe the problem is getting worse.

"You just wonder what people are thinking. Those lights are there for a reason. It's for the safety of all of our kids," she said.

Moore has one message to drivers.

"Get off your phone, it's a big yellow bus, you can't miss it," said Moore.

Drivers caught illegally passing a school bus could be fined up to $500 or ordered to do 100 hours of community service.

There is a proposal in the Michigan House of Representatives to add jail time as another punishment for illegally passing a school bus.

Want to see more local news ? Visit the FOX47News Website.

Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.

Download our free app for Appleand Android

and

Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.

Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook