As National School Bus Safety Week begins Friday, Oct. 21, the State Highway Patrol is launching a program to enforce traffic violations in and around school zones and school bus stops.
Starting Monday, Oct. 17, and lasting through Friday, Oct. 21, Operation Stop Arm will be underway to help protect the approximate 794,000 children traveling on 14,000 school buses that traverse the state on a daily basis. An increase in patrol is hoped to help decrease violations and reduce school bus incidents involving children.
“Our continued goal is to save lives by raising awareness for school bus safety laws through educational and enforcement efforts,” said Colonel Freddy L. Johnson, Jr., commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
It’s a Class I misdemeanor for drivers to pass a stopped school bus, which can also earn the driver five points on their license if convicted (and up to $500 in fines). The citation goes up to a Class I felony if the vehicle strikes an individual and a Class H Passing a stopped school bus is a Class I felony if the driver strikes an individual and a Class H if it ends in death.
In 2021, the North Carolina School Bus Accident Report shows 742 crashes, including five fatalities; 175 resulted in injuries.
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