Huntington Participates in Operation Safe Stop
Safety in and around buses is a top priority in the Huntington School District. So Operation Safe Stop was serious business. The statewide campaign reminded motorists about the dangers associated with passing a stopped school bus while its red lights are flashing.
According to Governor David A. Paterson, an analysis of traffic data from the past five years indicates that motorists passing stopped school buses caused several deaths and 75 injuries to students.
If caught, passing a school bus stopped with its red lights flashing results in five points being assessed on a driver’s license plus a first offense fine of $250-$400 and/or 30 days in jail and a second offense fine of $600-$750 and/or 180 days in jail. In the case of a third such offense, a driver’s license is revoked and a fine of $750-$850 is imposed and/or 180 days in jail.
Operation Safe Stop included police officers riding on school buses and following them in marked and unmarked cars. Huntington School District officials said the police ticketed two drivers for passing buses carrying district students and issued two citations for other infractions.
When a school bus is stopped and its red lights are flashing it signals there are children either boarding or disembarking the bus. Students are also likely to walking around the area near the bus.
An estimated 50,000 vehicles pass stopped school buses each day. “For the sake of our children we urge drivers to stop when they see school bus red lights flashing and to adhere to the speed limit near our schools,” Huntington Superintendent John J. Finello said.
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