Students are gearing up for an unconventional school year due to COVID-19 fears. School bus transportation to and from school campuses is likely to involve social distancing, hand sanitizing and mask wearing.
One thing hasn’t changed, though. Drivers are still required by law to abide by specific regulations when maneuvering around school buses.
You probably know the law requires you to stop at least 30 feet from a stopped school bus that is loading or unloading children, whether you are meeting the bus or traveling behind it.
But did you know that applies not just to two-lane roadways, but also for four-lane and five-lane roadways which are not separated by any barriers?
Louisiana law states:
- You must stop at least 30 feet from a stopped school bus that is loading or unloading children. This is required by law whether you are meeting the bus or traveling behind it.
- You do not have to stop when the bus is stopped in a loading zone completely off the roadway and where pedestrians are not allowed to cross the roadway.
- When a school bus is stopped in opposite lanes on a roadway separated by a ditch, grassy median, elevated concrete barrier, or any obstacle that prevents traffic from driving thereon, you are not required to stop.
- Drivers must stop for a stopped school bus when traveling on four-lane or five-lane roadways which are not separated by any barriers.
- When you have stopped, you must not proceed until the bus moves again or the visual warning signals are no longer in use.
The official Louisiana Department of Motor Vehicles handbook recommends increasing your following distance behind a bus to get a better view so you can anticipate a stop. Be especially alert during morning pick-up and afternoon drop-off times.
It’s likely law enforcement will be especially vigilant for infractions in the first few weeks after school starts later this month. But there’s more at stake than a traffic fine. Ignorance of the law or an impatient moment could lead to the loss of a young life as well as a lifetime of regret – and no one wants that.
Drive Sober campaign coming soon
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will again partner with law enforcement nationwide for the 2020 Labor Day Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement campaign, which runs from Aug. 19 through Sept. 7, 2020. The enforcement campaign coincides with the 2020 Labor Day holiday weekend, which is one of the deadliest times of the year in terms of drunk-driving fatalities.
During the 2018 Labor Day holiday period (6 p.m. Aug. 31 – 5:59 a.m. Sept. 4), 38 percent of fatalities in traffic crashes involved a drunk driver. During the 2018 Labor Day holiday period, there were 439 crash fatalities nationwide. Forty-three percent of those fatalities involved drivers who had been drinking (.01+ BAC). More than one-third (38 percent) of the fatalities involved drivers who were drunk (.08+ BAC), and nearly one-fourth (24 percent) involved drivers who were driving with a BAC almost twice the legal limit (.15+ BAC).
To keep yourself and others safe, celebrate with a plan. If you plan to drink, plan for a sober driver to take you home. Is it your turn to be the designated driver? Take that role seriously and do not consume alcohol, not even one drink.
For more information on ThinkFirst of the Ark-La-Tex, go to https://ift.tt/2xSNMAQ, call 318-226-0066 or check out https://ift.tt/30BvfFl or https://ift.tt/2BPViS8.
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School bus safety in 2020 - Shreveport Times
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