The sergeant said, “With the school buses out on the road, I want to encourage everyone to make sure that they’re observing the flashing lights and the stop signs.”
When asked about people driving around stopped buses, he said that is an unsafe practice, since the bus blocking the view means you don’t know where the kids are around the bus, or where other vehicles are on the other side of it.
Students from @DaytonSchools go #BacktoSchool TOMORROW (8/16)!
— Dayton Police Dept. (@DaytonPolice) August 15, 2022
-School Zone speed limit is 20mph!
-Give yourself extra time in the morning & afternoon there will be more traffic, school buses, & kids walking!
-REMINDER graphic of when to STOP for buses loading & unloading kids! pic.twitter.com/S8eFMp0xhX
Sopczak also spoke about watching out for children on foot, especially those walking to school or being let out of vehicles in school drop-off zones. He said children can be unpredictable and are smaller, so they can be harder to see.
He advised drivers to be extra safe on the road, to take an extra second to look around in drop-off zones before driving, and slow down in school zones.
Punishments for driving around school buses and speeding in school zones are generally traffic offenses, the sergeant said, though depending on how fast the vehicle is going, speeding in a school zone could also bring a reckless driving charge.
A member of the media joked that a ticket is no way to spend your money, and Sopczak agreed, later adding that a speeding ticket can be up to $150.
The sergeant said that there is always an adjustment period for traffic after school resumes, so it is a good idea to leave the house a little early in the morning and be extra safe on the road.
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