INDIANAPOLIS – More than 200 Indiana law enforcement agencies will conduct extra patrols over the next few months to keep children safe as they get on and off the school bus.
Officers will be positioned along bus stops and routes looking for stop-arm violations and people driving dangerously, according to a release from the state.
The patrols are developed by the Stop Arm Violation Enforcement program, part of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.
“Police officers are stepping up their efforts to keep kids safe, but they can’t be in all places at all times,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said. “School bus safety is everyone’s responsibility. That means paying attention to the road and driving cautiously when buses are around.”
A 2019 survey by bus drivers in Indiana showed more than 2,500 stop-arm violations in one day. If the one day is an average, there were more than 450,000 violations in 2019.
Following a 2018 incident where three children were killed while crossing the street to get on a school bus in Fulton County, Indiana, state lawmakers increased the penalty for stop-arm violations last year.
