CLEARFIELD – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation this week joined with representatives from the Clearfield Borough and Lawrence Township police departments and the Clearfield Area School District as a reminder that school bus safety is everyone’s job. The agencies came together to recognize National School Bus Safety Week, which was held through Oct. 23.
The local law enforcement participated in “Operation Safe Stop,” a nationwide enforcement event aimed at catching those who violate the state’s School Bus Stopping Law.
“Operation Safe Stop” is held annually in conjunction with National School Bus Safety Week. Police enforce the state’s laws in relation to school buses by either riding on buses or following behind in a patrol car. When possible, school bus drivers will also report violators.
In Pennsylvania, motorists are required to stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop arm extended. Motorists must stop whether they are behind the bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped.
Vehicles must remain stopped until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn and all children have reached safety. Drivers who encounter a school bus stopping on the opposite side of a divided highway are not required to stop.
For more information about school bus safety, visit PennDOT’s highway safety Web site, www.JustDrivePa.org and select “Traffic Safety Information Center,” then “School Bus Safety.”
Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 770 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA Web site.
Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAStateCOLL.
