INDIANAPOLIS – As students head back to the classroom, state and local law enforcement agencies are reminding motorists to stop for school buses or face the consequences. Over the next couple of months, officers will be increasing patrols to prevent stop-arm violations, speeding, and other forms of reckless driving around school buses and in school zones.
More than 200 agencies plan to participate in the back-to-school Stop Arm Violation Enforcement (SAVE) campaign. The overtime patrols are funded through grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.
“Drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus or speed in a school zone need to be held accountable,” said Gov. Eric J. Holcomb. “We owe it to our kids to make sure they get home safely.”
Despite thousands of motorists being cited under the SAVE program, unsafe driving around school buses continues to be a concern. In April, Hoosier bus drivers participated in a one-day observational survey and counted 2,041 stop-arm violations. That one-day total, when multiplied by the number of school days, adds up to a potential 367,380 violations throughout the school year.