Hundreds of drivers cited in Somerset County for blowing by stopped school buses in 2023-24 school year
SOMERSET COUNTY, Md. – In every state in the nation, drivers must stop when they are within 20 feet of a school bus displaying an extended stop arm and red flashing lights. However, hundreds of Somerset County drivers are ignoring the crucial law that ensures safety for students and those behind the wheel.
326 Drivers Cited in 2023-24 School Year
Somerset County Public Schools (SCPS) officials and local law enforcement are pleading with the public to be more careful around school vehicles.
“We have a terrible problem with motorists passing school buses when they’re stopped with their stop arms out and red lights flashing,” said SCPS Supervisor of Transportation Operations Michael Bartemy. “People just need to be more aware, and they need to be paying more attention quite honestly.”
During the 2023-24 school year, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office issued 326 citations for drivers blowing by buses stopped for students. Most of the incidents happened in February 2024, with deputies issuing 50 citations. Police say the most dangerous hours for children were after school, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
“The area that it’s predominantly happening is on 675 in the Princess Anne area,” said Somerset County Sheriff Ronald Howard. “It could be people not paying attention, or if they’re late for work or school they’re just taking the risk of possibly striking a child getting on or off the school bus.”
Catching Carelessness on Camera
In Maryland, drivers who are caught on camera passing stopped school buses are issued a civil violation carrying a $250 fine. If the offense is witnessed and cited by an officer in person, that fine can jump up to $570, and come with three points on the offender’s driver’s license. Violators who do not pay up may also face a court date.
Years ago, SCPS, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, and Bus Patrol teamed up to catch more dangerous drivers in the act.
Bus Patrol provided cameras, which were outfitted on SCPS buses front to back, inside and out. Today, when violators are caught on camera, those incidents are verified by Bus Patrol. The company then forwards those incidents to the Sheriff’s Office, where deputies can issue citations.
“We keep the updated equipment, we have GPS routing that they pay for, and also nine interior and exterior cameras so we can see what’s going on around our bus and inside our bus, other than just the stop arm cameras,” Bartemy said.
Because drivers continue to make reckless decisions, watchful law enforcement personnel are also often not far behind the school buses. “We’re following the school bus a lot—the deputies are—when we’re not handling calls for service,” Sheriff Howard said.
Looking Ahead
Bartemy says that SCPS is also doing its part to educate both parents and students on how to safely ride the bus at the start of every school year. Plus, the district works to make right-side pick-ups and drop-offs whenever possible, especially with elementary students, he said.
However, police say what really needs to change to prevent future tragedies is drivers’ attitudes.
“If you’re late for work or late for school, just be late,” Sheriff Howard said. “It’s not worth taking the risk of harming a child. It’s just not worth it.”
SCPS’s contract with Bus Patrol started in 2021, and Bartemy says the agreement will be renewed going forward, with everyone’s approval. Somerset County students will return to school on September 3rd and 4th.
For more tips about school bus safety in Maryland, click here.
