SALT LAKE CITY — School is about to start again, and bus drivers in Utah are imploring other bus drivers to pay attention and not ignore the flashing stop bars on school buses.
When a school bus stops and the stop button is extended, students get on, off the bus, and cross the street.
Marcus Swainston, a school bus trainer in the Jordan School District, said he sees people ignoring them almost every day.
“I don’t even think they see us. As a bus driver, you’re paying attention to the vehicles coming towards you and behind you, and all the kids getting on and off. Often times I see they (the drivers) are on their phones or distracted,” Swainston said.
Salt Lake County bus driver Nachole Workman said she sees cars driving through the stop zones almost every day. She says it’s crucial for drivers to stop and wait while the red lights are flashing.
“Kids come from the street side, get on the bus, come from both sides. There are kids crossing the street,” Workman said.
West Valley Detective Mike Millett stressed that stopping until the brake levers are retracted and the lights are off is a legal requirement and an important safety measure.
“It’s time to get back to school and there will be buses coming to pick up kids. And we need to pay special attention to those kids and buses and make sure we stop for them. We need to make sure they’re safe,” Millett said.
Swainston urges drivers to be considerate of the bus when the lights are flashing for the safety of students.
“Drive as if your child is getting on or off the bus. Just be super cautious around us and take the extra time to just stop and pay attention to what’s happening.”
Eric Cabrera is a reporter for KSL NewsRadio. You can follow him on Instagram.
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