OLD ORCHARD BEACH — The Old Orchard Beach police are reminding motorists to be aware of the need to stop for school buses.
According to state law, a motorist must stop when encountering, in either direction, a school bus stopped with its red lights flashing to load or unload children on a public highway, multiple lane roads, public street, private road, parking area or school property.
Violation of this law is punishable by a minimum of a $250 fine for the first offense, and a mandatory 30-day suspension of a driver’s license for the second violation within three years.
Community volunteer Pat Brown, through her work with Old Orchard Beach Community Friendly Connection and Community Watch Council reached out to residents on social media regarding the topic of motorists stopping for school buses and discovered it was an issue that many local people felt passionate about.
Brown contacted Police Chief Dana Kelley, and the chief spoke with officials at the school department. He learned that there was the occasional violation of the school bus passing law that police were not always notified of.
The violations most often occur at Jameson Hill Road where Loranger Memorial and Jameson schools are located during student drop-off and pick-up times. Some parents, who are in backed up traffic ready to drop off or pick up their child, may be aware of laws involving school buses and motorists, but when they see the line-up of buses with their red lights flashing and stop signs out next to the school, they treat them like parked cars and pass by. However, the rules still apply, and parents must stop until the bus drivers are finished unloading or loading passengers.
After being made aware of a potential problem, the police department is now educating people about the law, and has posted an LED sign, warning motorists of fines involved with passing a school bus.
“It’s a violation that is clearly pretty dangerous for kids and we want to make the roads as safe as possible,” said Kelley.
Police and school officials are also reviewing the school drop off points to see if there is a way to position buses so they are not in the line of traffic of cars.
The topic of passing school buses will be discussed at the Community Watch Council and the Volunteers in Police Service groups and both groups will be made aware of the issue.
The Maine Department of Education advises drivers to be prepared to stop when driving behind a school bus, and remember that buses make frequent stops. Always stop when a school bus is stopped with red lights flashing and the stop arm extended, and never pass a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing.
In addition to stopping for school buses loading or unloading children, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration further advises drivers to watch for children congregating at bus stops or walking to school in neighborhoods near schools and be alert to children running late to school who might dart into traffic without looking.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 780-9015 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com
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