(Le Mars) — School has begun across Iowa, and officials want everyone to realize it is against the law to pass a stopped school bus when the lights are flashing and the stop sign extended. Law enforcement and school officials are concerned with the safety of students going to, and returning from school. Karie Yaneff with the Iowa State Patrol says it happens all too often. She says motorists need to remember that traffic on both sides of the school bus must come to a stop.
Yaneff says the exception is when driving on a four-lane highway. Vehicles traveling in the same direction of the school bus must come to a complete stop. However, vehicles moving in the opposite direction, on a four-lane road, do not need to stop for a school bus. According to statistics provided by Le Mars Community School District, the number of offenses of motorists passing a stopped school bus have been alarming. During the 2017-18 school year, there were 95 times when a motorist had passed a stopped school bus. The number increased to 120 times during school year 2018-19. 83 occasions a motorist passed a stopped Le Mars Community school bus during the school year 2019-2020. School superintendent Dr. Steven Webner reminds us that during that school year, classes were dismissed in mid-March due to the pandemic. He says it may have been possible to have an even higher number if school had not been cancelled. This past school year the number of people that passed a stopped school bus was down to 53. Webner says he is grateful for the decline, but adds the number of instances are still too high of a number. Webner says the number should be zero occurrences. Yaneff says unfortunately the number of reported vehicles passing stopped school buses by Le Mars Community is consistent with school districts across the state. Yaneff says people need to be alert to the fact students may be crossing the road.
The Iowa State Patrol trooper says the Iowa legislature has stiffen the laws with violators of passing a stopped school bus due to what is known as the Caiden’s Law.
Yaneff says it is becoming easier to arrest and prosecute offenders as many school buses are equipped with cameras.
Yaneff says the violators of passing a stopped school bus occurs with all age demographics. She says although it happens everywhere, many of the violations of passing a stopped school bus occurs more in town than on the rural roads.
