REMINDER: Indiana state law requires motorists to stop when a school bus is picking up or dropping off children

Southwestern reports four drivers disobeying arm last several days

Indiana state law requires motorists to stop when a school bus is picking up or dropping off children. Watch for school buses with their stop arm extended and red lights flashing, which means STOP, not proceed with caution!

This law applies to all roadways except those that are divided by a physical barrier or an unimproved median. On a divided roadway, only vehicles traveling in the same direction as the school bus are required to stop. Extra awareness is also required in rural areas where distracted or impatient drivers often ignore school buses when children are getting on or off the bus. Disregarding a school bus stop signal is serious, and you can receive a traffic ticket for doing so.

The Southwestern-Jefferson Co. Consolidated Schools said Thursday morning that over the past several days they have had four drivers run through the extended stop arm including one at the intersection of Main and Main Cross at the four-way stop.

Also a new state law seeking to prevent children from crossing rural roadways on rural highways to get on or off the school bus will change several school bus routes this fall. Under the law, bus drivers are required to pick up or drop off elementary school students on the right-hand side of the roadway unless there are no other safe alternatives.

State officials mean business when it comes to the stop arm law. Southwestern buses do not have camera's like some in the state but officials with North Knox School Corporation said stop-arm cameras caught six violators in the first three days of school. Deputies with the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department rode buses last week led to 16 traffic stops.

Obey the law....Watch for school buses with their stop arm extended and red lights flashing, which means STOP, not proceed with caution!