WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – According to the New Hanover County Director of Transportation, 100 cars ran a stopped school bus in just one day during the previous school year.
Thousands of school buses are now back on the road. Debbie Trafton, the Director of Transportation for New Hanover County Schools, says year after year, drivers run stopped buses, putting children’s lives at risk.
“Children are unpredictable; you can not expect them to always follow the rules, no matter how many safeguards are in place,” said Trafton. “If you care for our community, the best way to help it is to protect the children.”
Trafton says about 10,000 children ride the bus to school in New Hanover County. The main problem areas are Monkey Junction and College Road.
Lt. Greg Willett of the Wilmington Police Department emphasizes that all drivers must do their part by obeying the law.
“I don’t care what kind of a hurry you are in, I don’t care what kind of a morning routine you are in,” said Lt. Willett. “Being late to work or whatever is a lot better than having to deal with it for the rest of your life knowing that you killed somebody’s child at a bus stop.”
Willett says most people run stop school buses because they are not paying attention to the road. He says drivers need to eliminate distractions when they are behind the wheel.
“Some of these children are elementary school age, and they are smaller. When you are in a car and you are not paying attention to a giant yellow school bus with flashing red lights that says stop, you are probably not going to see a small child,” said Willett.
If a driver passes a stopped school bus, they could be fined $500. A driver who passes a stopped school bus and hits someone could face a $1000 fine and a Class 1 felony.
All school buses in New Hanover County are equipped with cameras to capture the license plates of drivers who run stop arms. However, Trafton says the best way to keep children safe is to take preventive action.
“I think the only that that will help with prevention is raising awareness that school is in session,” said Trafton. “We need to protect the children that are going to our schools and the only way that we can do that is by being vigilant. Having our eyes on the road, put our phones away, don’t text and drive, and look for those stopped buses.”
The rules for when to stop and when not to stop for a school bus can be found below:
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