A reminder about school bus safety as students head back to school. Minnesota drivers could save themselves a chunk of change, and possibly a life, by remembering the new state law.
"Now is the time to really, really pay attention," says Office of Traffic Safety director Mike Hanson.
He says Minnesota drivers need to remember there's a new rule in place when it comes to school buses as many schools get underway starting Tuesday.
"If you see a flashing red light, you have to stop, period," Hanson explains.
Before the new law went into effect earlier this year, drivers could argue that the delay between the flashing red lights and the stop arm fully extending, gave them a window to pass a school bus. Hanson says that argument, is no longer valid.
"It takes away any ability for somebody to think that they can pass that bus just when the stop arm isn't fully extended," adds Hanson.
Motorists aren't required to stop if the bus is on the opposite side of a separated roadway.
The Department of Public Safety's annual one-day stop-arm survey this year tallied 364 violations.
"This is a significant safety challenge, and the fact that we haven't had more serious or fatal crashes involving kids amazes me," Hanson explained. "And I don't want to be amazed. I just want to know that drivers know what to do and when they have to do it, and that is when you see a flashing red light on a bus, you have to stop."
Violations continue to be an issue, according to Hanson.
