VAN WERT – After receiving several recent complaints from area school
bus drivers, the Van Wert City Police Department is reminding citizens
of school bus laws requiring drivers to stop for a stopped bus.
According
to law, all cars on a road with fewer than four lanes must stop for a
stopped school bus regardless of the direction the driver is traveling
in. Drivers should stop at least 10 feet from the stopped bus and remain
stopped until the bus begins to move or until the bus driver signals that it is okay to continue.
Even traffic with a center turn lane must stop on roads with fewer than four lanes.
Please
see the graphic to the right for clarification. This graphic was
created during the 2020 school bus safety week and was a joint
collaboration from Van Wert City Schools and the Van Wert Post of the
Ohio State Highway Patrol.
On a road with four or more lanes, only traffic going in the same direction of the bus is required to stop.
Under
the Ohio Revised Code, failing to stop for a school bus is an
unclassified misdemeanor. The maximum fine can be up to $500 and a
one-year license suspension, according to Lt. Doug Weigle of the Van Wert PD.
"You are also required to make a mandatory appearance in court," said Weigle. "If convicted, the BMV will assess two points on your driving record."
Weigle
also advised that Van Wert City School buses are now equipped with
cameras that will catch failure to stop violations and noted that there
is a "slim to none" chance of "getting away with this violation."
"The
Van Wert Police Department would rather everyone know the laws and be
in compliance rather than give out the citations," added Weigle.