Back to School Safe Driving Advisory In Paulding County

With Paulding County Schools starting back Thursday, August 1, the Paulding County Sheriff's Office is reminding drivers to remain alert when driving in school zones or adjacent to school buses to ensure the safety of children being transported, the Paulding County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

Deputies will be patrolling school zones as part of their daily operations and will also be watching for drivers that fail to stop for school buses that are loading or unloading passengers.

Georgia Law requires drivers to stop in both directions for school buses that are displaying their flashing red lights and have the stop arm activated (except for on controlled access highways or when the highway is divided into separate roadways). After stopping, drivers can proceed only after the school bus resumes motion or the flashing red lights are no longer activated.

Deputies with the Paulding County Sheriff's Office Traffic Unit urge drivers to use extreme care and to leave more space when traveling around a school bus, especially when following a school bus.

"Drivers who are following school buses too closely are not prepared for the frequent stops made by the school bus," Paulding County Sheriff Gary Gulledge said in the release. "Drivers should always use extreme caution when following school buses and obey the posted speed limits in the school zones."

The majority of fatal crashes involving school buses occurred when the school bus was struck by a smaller passenger vehicle.

"[A] conviction for unlawfully passing a school bus carries six points on your driving record as well as a six month suspension of your driver's license for drivers under the age of 21," Gulledge said. "Children are not always aware of their surroundings or vehicles that may be passing by and the dangers that they pose. Drivers should be prepared to stop when approaching children that are waiting for a school bus."