Parents raise concerns over drivers ignoring stopped school buses

DAGSBORO, Del. – All it takes is one poor choice that can lead to tragedy on the roadways. And Local parents want to make sure that never happens to a child boarding or getting off of a school bus.

That’s why some outraged parents took to social media, to get the word out that too often they seen people breaking the law, driving by a stopped school bus with its red lights on.

Running through the reds has gained more attention nationally, but here locally, officials say the situation is getting worse.

This year Delaware bus drivers tallied 547 cars in one day that illegally passed them while they were stopped, eight of those on right side. The side where children get out.

“I don’t know why people don’t stop for the red lights. When the red lights are on you have to stop,” said Bessie Brown, a driver with Johnson Transportation.

“Once or twice a week they’ll drive through the stop sign, and I’m not sure if they’re distracted, or if they just don’t know the laws,” said Mary Wiedt, a parent of a child at Lord Baltimore Elementary.

If you’re caught, it doesn’t matter if you didn’t know. You will face six points on your license, a fine, a suspended license for at least a month, and possible jail time for a first offense in Delaware.

“It’s not about just punishing people, it’s about the students safety,” said Keith Johnson, Vice President of Johnson Transportation.

And some local buses are seeing new technology that can help prevent drivers from putting children in harms way.

“We not only have inside cameras, some of our buses are equipped with an exterior camera facing, it’s a dash cam, facing the front of the bus,” said Johnson.

Local police departments are also stepping up to the plate.

Dagsboro Police were out in Main Street Wednesday afternoon patrolling one bus stop that has seen cars pass by stopped buses.

Brown says she has reported incidents to both Selbyville and Ocean View Police Departments.

“They’ve both been very, very wonderful. Coming to my stops, the particular stops that I have trouble with.”

Tyler Bryan, the transportation supervisor for Indian River School District, says that the district and Delaware State Police are looking to schedule a meeting to discuss this growing problem.

Bryan says legislation also needs to be crafted to make it easier for districts and drivers to prosecute those who violate this law.