Sarasota Cops Cracking Down On School Bus Violations

SARASOTA, FL -- "Here they come guys," cried a Sarasota traffic cop Wednesday afternoon as he stepped out into traffic to pull over motorists suspected of failing to stop for a school bus.

Within 30 minutes, officers had written 17 citations in the 200 block of Tuttle Avenue. It was the third day of a crackdown on such violations.

"We have been posting information on our social media accounts for the last three days about this along with a graphic on when to stop for a school bus," Genevieve Judge of the Sarasota Police Department told Patch.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, motorists are required to stop when approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and stop arms extended under most situations.

Sarasota police said violators can expect to be fined $271 plus four points on their driver's license.

Here are the rules for each traffic scenario courtesy of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles:

• All drivers moving in either direction on a two-way street must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal, and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children and the school bus stop arm is withdrawn. (see diagram, TWO-LANE)
• On a highway divided by a paved median, all drivers moving in either direction must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal, and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children and the school bus stop arm is withdrawn. (see diagram, MULTI-LANE)
• The only time traffic approaching an oncoming school bus does not need to stop, is if there is a raised barrier such as a concrete divider or at least five feet of unpaved space separating the lanes of traffic. (see diagram, DIVIDED HIGHWAY)
• On a highway divided by a raised barrier or an unpaved median at least 5 feet wide, drivers moving in the opposite direction do not have to stop for the bus (painted lines or pavement markings are not considered barriers). However, these motorists should slow down and watch for students loading or unloading from the bus. (see diagram, DIVIDED HIGHWAY)

Here are some additional tips from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles:

• Be alert and watch for children especially near schools, bus stops, school buses and in school parking lots.
• Children on bicycles can be unpredictable and can make sudden changes in direction. Be especially careful when children are present in school zones and residential areas.
• Pay extra attention to lower speed limits in school zones.
• Watch for and obey signals from school crossing guards.
• Only drive or park in authorized areas to drop off or pick up children at school.