Cobb Schools Observe 'Stop On Red Week'

MARIETTA, GA -- When a school bus stops on the roadway, what are you and your fellow drivers supposed to do -- do you know? Well, you don't have guess, a better question is this: Did you know that August 6-12 is National Stop on Red Week 2017? The week draws attention to the serious safety issue that pops up every time the school year stars: motorists illegally passing stopped school buses.

The Cobb County School District observes the week not only because it's the right thing to do, but because the district is part of the Crossing Guard School Bus Stop Arm program. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

“Although Stop on Red Week is typically associated with intersection safety, we are extending it to apply to school bus safety," Rick Grisham, CCSD executive director of transportation, said in a news release."When motorists see a bus flashing red lights, that is a signal for them to stop so that children may get on or off the bus safely. Drivers must abide by traffic laws governing when approaching stopped school buses for the safety of our children."

CCSD said that more than 11,200 Georgia school bus drivers reported 8,289 vehicles illegally passing their stopped school buses in one day last year, citing statistics from the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services.

National Stop on Red Week was created by the Federal Highway Administration to educate drivers about the dangers of running red lights, and to reduce the number and severity of crashes.

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