SPRINGHILL - Almost two months into the school year and drivers are still passing busses while they're flashing their red lights.
"I was talking to the bus driver who drives the route out towards the prison on McGee Street and he said six individuals have gone around his bus while the red lights are flashing," said Kenny Jackson of the Springhill Police Department.
"That's six incidents on one bus route since the beginning of the year."
Jackson said that a bus driver survey done in 2006 said that 85 per cent of people ignore the flashing red lights when they are driving towards the bus in the opposite lane.
"The stop sign sticks out in the opposite lane and the flashing lights gives plenty of notice that the bus is stopping," said Jackson. "So people should stop because we don't want our young children hurt."
Jackson also asks drivers to be vigilant around the schools.
"A big concern of the bus drivers is congestion around the schools and parents dropping their kids off," said Jackson. "We're looking at some ways to improve the situation, like maybe alternate parking for parents."
The leaflet that Jackson handed out to drivers last week stated that first time offenders who illegally pass a stopped school bus with flashing red lights will be fined $394.50 and six points will be taken off their license.
