by SARAH THOMACK
St. Joseph Post
While school may look different this fall, drivers are reminded to look out for buses and students out on the road as usual.
Officer John Foster with the St. Joseph Police Department Traffic Unit reminds drivers to be aware of surroundings, especially in school zones.
“Pay attention to which blocks are in school zones and the speed,” Foster says. “Always watch for foot traffic, pretty much anywhere in the city, but more particularly around schools and buses because people crossing the street don’t always look both ways as they should.”
Foster reminds drivers that all traffic must stop in both directions when a bus comes to a stop, its hazard lights are red and the stop sign pops out.
“Wait for the bus driver to receive the passengers, close their doors, the stop sign will then deactivate, the lights go off and normal traffic can resume,” Foster says. “I would still be wary of foot traffic, in case somebody was a little late to get on the bus, until the bus is well down the road.”
Foster says buses do have cameras and bus drivers can record vehicles that do not stop during pick up and drop off.
“We get that information and then we follow up with the driver and vehicle owners and there are many times that citations are issued and people are surprised that they’ve been caught running the stop sign violation,” Foster says. “An extra 30 seconds or whatever is well worth the tickets and court costs and most definitely well worth somebody’s safety.”
In-person and online classes for St. Joseph School District students begin Monday.