Make safety a priority with school buses back on the road

With Wilson County Schools buses back on the road starting Monday, officials remind drivers to be cautious when it comes to school bus safety.

The Wilson Police Department will be out in full force actively monitoring school zones, especially during drop-off and pickup times, according to Sgt. Eric McInerny, public information officer with the Wilson Police Department. Extra patrol officers will be assigned to each school within the city.

Wilson County Schools has 77 buses that hit the roads every school year, carrying 5,000 students. More than 1.2 million miles are traveled in a given school year.

Speeding in a school zone carries a $250 fine, and passing a stopped school bus carries a heavier penalty. State law makes the charge a Class 1 misdemeanor rather than a traffic infraction. Drivers convicted of the offense receive 5 points against their driving record. It’s the only charge other than aggressive driving that carries that many points. If the act of passing a stopped school bus results in serious injury, the charge is upgraded to a Class I felony. And if it causes death, drivers face prosecution on a Class H felony.

Police ask drivers to make safety a top priority and observe posted speed limits throughout the city, especially in school zones. Police said drivers should obey all signals from crossing guards at their posts, too.

Police remind drivers to expect more traffic in the mornings and plan to leave home with enough time to arrive at their destinations safely. Patrols have already been monitoring school zones since some private, early college and charter schools began classes a couple of weeks ago.

WHEN TO STOP FOR BUSES

• Two-lane road: All traffic from both directions must stop.

• Two-lane road with center turning lane: All traffic from both directions must stop.

• Four-lane road: All traffic from both directions must stop.

• Four-lane road with a median: Only traffic following the bus must stop.

• Four or more lanes with a center turning lane: Only traffic following the bus must stop.

Source: N.C. Department of Public Safety

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