WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The State Highway Patrol kicked off a week-long campaign Monday morning aiming to keep students safer.
‘Operation Stop Arm’ runs through 5:00 pm on Friday and involves the Highway Patrol more aggressively enforcing stop arm and other traffic violations in and around school zones and school bus stops.
The Patrol says they expect the operation will decrease violations and reduce school bus incidents involving children.
“Our continued goal is to save lives by raising awareness for school bus safety laws through educational and enforcement efforts,” Colonel Freddy L. Johnson, Jr., commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, said. “We all play an important role in ensuring our children load and unload from a school bus safely each day, whether you are a roadway user, parent, student, or bus driver.”
Approximately 14,100 school buses travel North Carolina highways daily, according to the NC Highway Patrol. On average, they transport 794,950 children to and from school each day.
The Patrol reminds everyone passing a stopped school bus is a Class 1 misdemeanor. If convicted, a person will receive five driving points on their driver’s license and is subject to fines up to $500. Passing a stopped school bus is a Class I felony if the driver strikes an individual and a Class H felony if a person his killed.