FRANKLIN COUNTY — Everyone stops for school buses. No excuses.
When a school bus driver activates their flashing red lights and stop sign, every other vehicle operator on the road is required to stop. By state law this extends to fire trucks, police cruisers, and ambulances, even if they are responding to emergencies.
On the first day of school for elementary students in RSU 9, Farmington School Resource Officer Matt Brann said he’d already had a report of a vehicle illegally passing a school bus with the stop sign out and the red lights activated.
Bus drivers have a number of things to focus on, Brann said. They’re responsible for maintaining order on the bus, keeping tabs on traffic, watching out for children at bus stops, and operating the bus itself. It can be a stressful situation, especially if other drivers on the road are distracted, impatient, or careless. Distracted driving continues to be a safety hazard for everyone on the road, but it can be life-threatening for young children crossing the road to go home after school.
Norma Jackman, the director of transportation in RSU 73, said people need to stop for school buses, on or off private property. A school bus stop sign is just like a regular stop sign on the street.
Children are unpredictable. Their brains are still developing and they may not recognize or identify safety threats, or understand how to address a threat. A child may dart across a road before the bus driver signals for them to cross because they’re excited to get to the bus to see their friends. Or they may cross again without warning if they dropped something at the bus stop.
“Don’t assume you can see everything that is going on,” Jackman added.
Richard Joseph, director of transportation and custodial services in RSU 9, said motorists need to remember that when they approach a school bus with its overhead yellow lights flashing, it means the bus is about to stop for students. When the flashing red lights come on, it means stop.
“Safety is our number one priority,” Joseph said.
MSAD 58 superintendent Todd Sanders said that in the beginning of the school year the bus routes are often new to drivers and students – particularly with the new configuration of schools in MSAD 58 – so they appreciate a little patience.
Passing a stopped school bus with red lights activated is a class E crime, punishable by a minimum $250 fine for the first offense and a mandatory 30-day suspension of a driver’s license for a second offense occurring within 3 years of the first offense. In addition, the registered owner of the vehicle may have criminal liability if the operator of the vehicle cannot be determined.
Mark Lopez, chief of police in Carrabassett Valley, added that kids may be standing on the side of the road waiting for their bus. In addition to stopping for school buses, being aware of your surroundings and driving carefully is important to make sure everyone goes home safely.
