BOISE, Idaho — The Ada County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) issued a reminder to the public about safety practices around school buses.
When driving on a two or three-lane road behind a school bus pulled over to the side of the road, all drivers, both ways, must stop until the bus turns off its red, flashing lights and retracts its stop sign.
Recently, Ada County has seen an increase in the number of tickets issued to drivers for breaking rules and endangering students.
Deputies in Ada County have given out seven tickets over the last school year for drivers overtaking and passing school buses. Four of which were issued at the same spot on N. Horseshoe Bend Road between Floating Feather Road and Hill Road Parkway.
If you are driving on a two or three-lane street and a school bus pulls over to the side of the road, and red lights start flashing while a stop sign pops out – all drivers must stop until the lights are done and the sign is put away. All drivers. Both ways.
If you are wondering why we are posting basic safety-town traffic stuff it’s because we’ve had a bunch of drivers earn tickets for breaking this rule and putting kids in danger.
(Just to be clear: If you are driving on a four-lane road - or five or six-lane road - only the traffic following behind the bus has to stop.)
Deputies have given out seven tickets over the last school year in Ada County for overtaking and passing a school bus – a misdemeanor — with four of those drivers getting busted on N. Horseshoe Bend Road between Floating Feather Road and Hill Road Parkway.
This charge (Idaho Code 49-1422 https://bit.ly/37Ttqg3) is punishable by up to a $200 fine for the first offense, up to $400 for a second offense, and up to $600 for a third.
So not only is it illegal and expensive to drive by a stopped school bus with the red lights on – it’s downright dangerous for the kids who should be able to safely cross the street but have to wait to see if scofflaw drivers whiz by before they cross.
If you do drive by a stopped school bus with the red lights on, we will get you on video, find you, and cite you for the misdemeanor.
It would be excellent if our deputies never had to give out another one of these tickets ever again, so let’ all work together to be smart and safe on city streets.
The charge (Idaho Code 49-1422) is a misdemeanor and is punishable by up to a $200 fine for the first offense, up to $400 for a second offense, and up to $600 for a third.
Not only is it illegal, and expensive, to drive by a stopped school bus with flashing red lights, but it is also very dangerous for the kids entering and leaving the bus.
As of 2019, buses in Idaho have been equipped with stop-arm cameras, which allow buses to record peripheral traffic when stopped. At least 24 states have added school bus stop-arm camera laws.
While police say they hope to not have to issue any more citations, they are working with school districts to ensure they find any and all offenders.
