The Saline County Sheriff’s Office has seen an increase in School Bus Stop Sign violations in the past three years.
The violations are not only dangerous, they carry a much larger fine than most traffic violations. Violations of this statute carry a fine of $315 + $108 court costs = $423.00.
Captain Roger Soldan said if the school bus is parked along the road or street, and has lights on and the stop sign out and displayed you are to stop from both directions, unless it is a divided road or street.
In 2014 and 2015 the Sheriff’s Office has issued five citations for violations, that have been turned in by either the school bus driver, or witnessed by a deputy. In 2013 The Sheriff’s Office issued six citations and only one each in 2011 and 2012.
The following is the State Statute concerning stopping for a school bus with it’s stop sign displayed:
8-1556. Overtaking and passing school bus; actuation of visual signals by driver of bus, when; required school bus markings. (a) The driver of a vehicle meeting or overtaking from either direction any school bus stopped on the highway shall stop before reaching such school bus when there is in operation on the school bus the flashing red lights specified in subsection (a) of K.S.A. 8-1730, and amendments thereto, and the driver shall not proceed until such school bus resumes motion or the flashing red lights and the stop signal arm are no longer actuated.
(b) Every school bus shall be equipped with red visual signals meeting the requirements of subsection (a) of K.S.A. 8-1730, and amendments thereto, which may be actuated by the driver of the school bus whenever but only whenever such vehicle is stopped on the highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children. A school bus driver shall not actuate the special visual signals:
(1) At intersections or other places where traffic is controlled by traffic-control signals or police officers; or
(2) in designated school bus loading areas where the bus is entirely off the roadway.
(c) Every school bus shall bear upon the front and rear thereof plainly visible signs containing the words “school bus” in letters not less than eight inches in height.
When a school bus is being operated upon a highway for purposes other than the actual transportation of children either to or from school or to or from interschool or intraschool functions or activities, or for maintenance, repair or storage purposes all markings thereon indicating “school bus” shall be covered or concealed.
(d) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway with separate roadways need not stop upon meeting or passing a school bus which is on a different roadway or when upon a controlled-access highway and the school bus is stopped in a loading zone which is a part of or adjacent to such highway and where pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway.
(e) The provisions of this section shall be subject to the provisions contained in K.S.A. 8-2009a, and amendments thereto.