Reminding motorists of school bus laws and safety

DAVISON, Mich. (WNEM) – Back to school means back on the bus, and that means reminding drivers what those flashing lights mean again.

Kevin Roberts, the school resource officer for the Davison Township Police Department, talked about how his district plans to get students to and from school safely.

When you see red lights, it doesn’t mean you should speed up or try to pass the bus. You could get a traffic ticket or, worse, put someone’s life in danger.

“Obviously, if we see school buses, then we’ll see students on the corners or at their bus stops, and let’s just be cautious with our driving habits,” Roberts said.

Back to school means school buses are back on the road.

“Probably around 6:30 to 8:30 in the morning, and then you’ll start seeing school buses moving again around 2:30 p.m. until, you know, 4:30,” Roberts said.

He said if you’re behind a bus, you should be prepared to stop.

“Obviously, watch your speed and be cautious. If we see the lights coming on, do what they are doing, respect the lights and stop,” Roberts said.

Under Michigan law, drivers traveling behind a bus must stop at least 20 feet away when the bus has its flashing red lights on. Drivers may not proceed until the bus’s signals are no longer activated or the bus begins moving again.

“We know that the first ones are yellow and the next ones are red. Yellow, just like a traffic light, is caution and be prepared to stop. If you see the red light come on and the stop sign comes up, you have to stop,” Roberts said.

If you don’t, Roberts said, you could be ticketed for “disobeying a school bus,” which could mean hundreds of dollars in fines and points on your license.

Under Michigan law, some buses may even have a camera system on the stop arm to catch those who break the law.

“Particularly with Davison schools, we have a very good working relationship. If they call us and say, ‘We have a problem on certain roads,’ or whatever, we will patrol those roads more intensively. We might go as far as following that school bus if there is a particular problem,” Roberts said.

Roberts said stopping is about more than just following the law, it’s also about ensuring children can get to school safely.

“And, you know, we’ve all been late to work once or twice in our lives, I’m sure, or wherever we go, and I get it. You know, getting to and from the bus can be a hassle sometimes, but it always comes down to the safety of our kids. If we see a school bus, let’s assume there are kids on that bus,” he said.

The exception to the law is if you are on a divided highway with a physical barrier or clearly marked dividing sections, then you are not required to stop if the bus is on the other side of the barrier.

At Davison, the first day of school is Monday, August 19.

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