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Web graphic. Know Georgia law for stopping for school buses.
This week is National Bus Safety Week and the theme is “red lights mean stop.”
Marty Dixon, transportation director, said that the theme emphasizes the importance of motorists stopping for school buses and being aware of Georgia law.
“More than 25 million children ride the yellow bus every school day, and National School Bus Safety Week serves as a reminder for students, parents, teachers and the community to keep school bus safety in the forefront,” according to the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT).
Dixon said that Rabun County has had a problem this school year with motorists not stopping for school buses.
“In most cases, all drivers are required to stop when meeting or overtaking a stopped school bus that has its red lights flashing and its arm extended when loading or unloading passengers,” according to NAPT. “The only exception to this rule is when highways are separated in the center by a dirt, grass or concrete median. In this situation, only vehicles following or traveling alongside a school bus in the same direction must stop.”
In Rabun County beginning in Clayton to the North Carolina line, motorists are required to stop on both sides of the highway for a school bus because there is no median or physical barrier.
Dixon explained that 400 ft. from a stop, the bus driver taps the brakes to let motorists know the bus will stop soon. At 200 ft. from stopping they activate their amber lights.
When the bus completely stops, the arm and red stop sign protrudes out.
“Vehicles must stop and should remain stopped until all loading students are aboard in the morning or all unloading passengers have cleared 12 ft. off the roadway in the afternoon,” according to NAPT.
“Each school goes over bus safety rules,” Dixon said about yearly bus safety procedures. He said that students completed bus evacuation drills this week.
“School buses are the safest transportation on the roadway,” Dixon said.
Dixon said that bus routes typically travel between 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. He said that because buses are likely to be on the road at these times motorists should be extra cautious.
The school buses are equipped with cameras to document if motorists violate the law and pass a stopped school bus.
Dixon said that it’s also important for drivers to “stay a safe distance” from stopped school buses.
NAPT also notes that it is very important for drivers to not be distracted by mobile devices like cell phones and other electronic devices.
For more information and tips to keep children safe around school buses, visit https://www.napt.org/
Fine amounts for cities and county
Violators of Georgia code, 40-6-163 Unlawful passing of school bus, are issued tickets and that information is then sent to the Department of Driver Services (DDS) where six points are added to the offender’s license, according to the DDS website.
The fine amount depends on the jurisdiction and who issues the ticket.
City of Clayton: $429
City of Dillard: $429
City of Mountain City: $319
City of Sky Valley: $500 for the first offense and $800 for the second offense.
Rabun County: $250
Town of Tallulah Falls: “It’s at the judge’s discretion,” according to City Clerk Linda Lapeyrouse.
Bus Driver Appreciation Day
Monday was Bus Driver Appreciation Day and Dixon said that each school is giving gifts to the bus drivers each day to show their appreciation.
Dixon said that Rabun County Schools has 40 bus drivers including substitute drivers. They have five bus monitors and 33 routes.
Dixon said that the bus monitors “ride on the special needs buses to help with the special needs kids.”
He said that the two bus shop technicians are also substitute bus drivers.
Dixon said that he appreciates this great group of bus drivers and the fantastic job that they do.
“The school board appreciates the job they do to keep the kids safe,” Dixon said.
He said that bus drivers are critical in many ways, but that they are often the first person the student sees at the beginning of the day and the last person they see when they ride the bus home. So it’s important for bus drivers to be encouraging and kind towards children and that Rabun County’s drivers do an excellent job of this.
Dixon said that the Georgia Department of Public Safety Motor Carrier Compliance Division performed an annual bus inspection last week and that Rabun County passed with flying colors.
“We didn’t have any buses put out of service,” Dixon said. He said that the Rabun County School system working as a team makes it all possible.
“Having the support of the school board and good technicians in the shop is what makes that happen every year,” Dixon said.