Charleston Police Increase Bus Route Patrols Following Close Calls
Charleston Police Department officers are increasing patrols along school bus routes after multiple motorists illegally passed stopped school buses in the city, WCHS reported. The enforcement push follows a recent incident on Bridge Road where a vehicle drove past a school bus with its stop sign extended while children were exiting.
Bridge Road and Washington Street West Violations Prompt Enforcement
Investigators documented a separate near-miss on Washington Street West captured on video, which showed three cars driving past a stopped school bus before a fourth vehicle finally halted. Charleston Police Department Sgt. Travis Bailes said the department is responding to a pattern of driver inattention around student transportation.
“Clearly drivers aren’t paying well enough attention to the school buses and our children,” Bailes said. “We find that concerning, we’re going to up our patrols in the school zones and especially around school buses and the routes to try to deter this behavior.”
Dedicated Officers Target School Zone Speeding and Illegal Passing
Police have assigned officers to focus exclusively on drivers who speed in school zones or fail to stop for school buses. Authorities stated that bus drivers report offenses directly to law enforcement via submitted video footage.
“Anytime these offenses happen, the school bus driver will report it and then the video is sent to us,” Bailes said. “When we follow up on it, if we can identify the owner of the vehicle, the owner of the vehicle is charged whether they were driving or not.”
Legal Penalties and Safe Stopping Requirements
Motorists must exercise caution as soon as a school bus appears, regardless of whether its warning lights are active. Drivers must slow down when yellow lights flash and come to a complete stop when red lights activate and the stop arm extends.
“As soon as you see a school bus you should be paying attention whether the lights are or not,” Bailes said. “When you see the yellow lights come on it’s time to slow down, and when the red lights are on and the stop sign is out from the bus, you need to stop. If you don’t stop you can be cited and face up to six months in jail and or a $1,000 fine.”
Frequently Asked Questions About School Bus Enforcement in Charleston
What triggers a citation if a driver is not caught on the scene by police?
School bus drivers report illegal passing incidents by submitting video footage to the Charleston Police Department. Officers review the footage to identify the vehicle owner, who receives charges regardless of who was driving at the time.
What are the specific penalties for illegally passing a school bus?
Motorists convicted of failing to stop for a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended face up to six months in jail and or a $1,000 fine.
When must drivers begin slowing down near a school bus?
Drivers must begin slowing down when they see a school bus and its yellow warning lights activate, prior to the deployment of the stop sign and red lights.
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