Drivers Blow Past Stopped School Buses In Avon Lake: Police

AVON LAKE, OH — Police are investigating two cases of drivers reportedly blowing past a stopped school bus.

On Jan. 11, a school bus driver came to Avon Lake police station to report that a red car had cruised around the bus, while it had its stop sign out. The woman said the incident happened on Walker Road, near Danbury Lane. She was able to provide a license plate for the car.

Police located the driver of the vehicle four days later, on Jan. 15, and issued him a citation for not stopping for a school bus. The man claimed he was not at fault and intended to dispute the claim. However, court records indicate the man later pleaded no contest to the charges.

One day after the man was located, a patrolling officer saw a car blow past a stopped school bus on SR 83, near Coventry Court. The driver was a 17-year-old man.

Police records said the teenager was stopped and cited for failing to stop for a school bus.

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Drivers failing to stop for school buses has been a persistent problem across the nation. In nearby Strongsville, the city recently implemented a new policy that allows police to randomly board and then ride along on a school bus.

The idea behind the policy was this: officers will now be able to witness cars ignoring a school bus's stop sign and immediately write a citation. Police officials also hoped the publicity the program generated would serve as a deterrent to drivers that might otherwise ignore school bus safety laws.

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