St. Joseph police cracking down on school zone, bus safety

By Jenna Wilson

Buses will soon be out in full force in St. Joseph as the first day of the academic year nears, and law enforcement is making student safety a top priority by stepping up patrolling near school zones.

Sgt. James Tonn with the St. Joseph Police Department said it can be difficult to adjust to the back-to-school schedule, but it’s that time of year to start planning ahead.

“We get into a routine of doing the same thing every day,” Tonn said. “When school starts, and even when it ends, we have to change that routine. That starts with leaving the house a little earlier so we can get to where we’re going at an appropriate time and along the way, giving the bus driver and kids grace rather than getting upset if they’re in our way.”

Approximately 25,000 children are injured and 100 are killed in school zone accidents each year, according to the Transportation Research Board.

School buses stop frequently, and children can be unpredictable, which is why drivers need to use extra caution when they see a yellow bus on the road.

“When the buses start to load or unload, it’s going to have that stop sign out,” said Tonn. “It’s going to have its lights going, and by law, you have to stop and wait. Unless there’s four or more lanes on the roadway, you’ve got to stop and wait for that bus to load and unload its kids.”

When yellow flashing lights come on, all drivers on the road should stop at least 100 feet behind the bus. All traffic must stop on two-lane roads, but only traffic moving in the same direction as the bus is required to stop on four-lane roads.

These laws are crucial, given many students don’t look before crossing the street.

“When they’re at the bus stops, they’re playing around before school starts,” said Mark Alexander, First Student location manager. “Oftentimes, they’re not watching the traffic, and when people don’t stop at the stop signs or they’re speeding to get to their destination, things can turn out really bad and we want to prevent that.”

Tonn said the majority of drivers do slow down in school zones, but for those who don’t, officers will be watching and handing out tickets.

“We’re going to be out enforcing that not only in the morning but in the afternoon, and you will get a ticket because we want to keep our kids safe,” he said.

For those who missed the “Meet the Bus” session last weekend, First Student will be hosting another session from 11 a.m. to noon at Bartlett Park on Aug. 17 where students can learn tips on how to safely ride the school bus.