Police Agencies Get Funding to Increase School Bus Patrols

School-Bus-stopped

The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute is sending $380,000 to 39 police agencies for increasing the safety of children who take the bus to and from school. The funds, which will be distributed during the next two months, are to be used to pay police officers overtime to patrol school buses. Previously, officers would have to be taken off their regular duties to monitor drivers when students were being picked up or dropped off. Now, more cops can follow routes and catch people violating school bus traffic laws.

The officers will be making sure drivers stop when the bus’s stop-arm is down and go slow while traveling through a school zone. Many motorists don’t understand that when the arm is extended and the red lights are flashing, they must wait to pass the bus; some believe they only have to proceed cautiously. Failure to obey signals and speed limits puts the lives of students at risk.

Dangers of Passing School Buses

In April of 2019, school bus drivers recorded how many cars illegally passed them while they were loading or unloading students. In just one day, the drivers reported that over 2,500 vehicles swerved around them instead of stopping.

Last fall, three siblings were killed when a driver of a pickup truck struck them as they were crossing a busy road to board their school bus. The driver said she didn’t realize the vehicle stopped in front of her was a school bus.

Police will be strictly enforcing traffic laws and citing violators.

Get Legal Representation from Tabor Law Firm

Our attorneys have over 100 years of combined legal experience and have handled numerous bus accident cases. We have seen the devastating impacts of these types of collisions, which is why we support measures that increase safety, such as the funding for more police patrols around school buses. Additionally, we are heavily involved with law enforcement, for instance, developing partnerships with the Indiana Sheriff’s Association and the Indiana State Police Alliance, and we respect their dedication to ensuring the safety of students as they are taken to and from school.

We are committed to helping bus accident victims, whether they were injured as a passenger or a third-party, pursue legal action against the person or entity responsible for causing a crash. Our attorneys provide reliable legal guidance to individuals and work toward recovering just compensation for damages sustained.

Schedule your free consultation today by calling us at (317) 236-9000 or contacting us online.

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