Two Main Line Police Departments, School Districts To Crackdown On Bus Passing Wednesday

Two Main Line police departments and school districts will be out in force Wednesday to crack down on drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses as part of "Operation Safe Stop."

Radnor Township Police and the Radnor Township School District, as well as Lower Merion Police and the Lower Merion School District, are participating in the 21st annual Operation Safe Stop on Wednesday, Oct. 18.

Both school district and police departments will be targeting drivers who who pass stopped buses and hold them accountable during Operation Safe Stop.

This is a public awareness and enforcement effort to educate the motoring public that passing a stopped school bus, when children are loading or unloading, is both dangerous and illegal.

Each year, through Operation Safe Stop, law enforcement agencies, school transportation providers, pupil transportation associations, and PennDOT have combined their efforts to raise public awareness about the potential consequences and reduce the occurrence of illegal school bus passes, the township said

Penalties for passing a stopped bus include a 60-day license suspension, five points on your driving records, and a $250 fine.

In accordance with Pennsylvania law, drivers must stop at least 10 feet from school buses that have their stop arms extended and red stop lights flashing. Vehicles driving next to a bus must also stop until the arm has been retracted and lights turned off.Drivers must stop regardless of direction, whether they are in the same directions as the bus or the opposite direction, according to state law.

If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, drivers in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping, the district aid.

Operation Safe Stop is part of National School Bus Safety Week, Oct. 16 through Oct. 20.

Patch file photo