MOTORIST CAUTION AROUND BUSES IS URGED

It's happened all too often this year.

A school bus stops on the street, red lights flashing and stop sign extended as students disembark and prepare to cross the street on their way home. Suddenly a motorist pulls out from behind the bus, nearly hitting the children.

Area school and student-bus transportation officials say there is an alarming problem caused by motorists who do not stop for school buses loading or unloading children.

"It's worse this year than in past years," said George Reeves, school bus safety officer for Ryder Student Transportation of Cape Girardeau. "One of these days, someone's going to run a school bus stop sign and kill or seriously injure a kid." Ryder provides contract bus transportation for the Cape Girardeau Public Schools.

Reeves said drivers who violate the state school bus law are either in a hurry, or not paying attention to their driving, or a combination of both. The result has been several close calls in the past two months.

The problem isn't confined to Cape Girardeau. School officials in Jackson and Scott City say violations of the school bus, stop sign law in those school districts are threatening the lives of children who ride the buses.

Jean Kurre, student bus transportation coordinator for the Jackson School District, says it's a chronic problem for her bus drivers. "It's not any worse this year than any other year. It's always a serious problem because you have so many young lives at stake," she said.

The Missouri Highway Patrol says motorists must not pass a stopped school bus when its red lights are flashing and the stop sign is extended for the loading or discharge of passengers. However, passing is permissible if the bus driver physically directs you to pass once the flashing red lights have been turned off and the stop sign retracted. Even then, the patrol says motorists should use extreme caution in passing a school bus.

When approaching a stopped school bus on a two-lane street or highway, motorists in the other lane must stop at least 20 feet in front of the bus. Those in the same lane should stop at least 20 feet behind the bus and watch for children crossing the street.

When approaching a stopped school bus from an opposite direction on a divided highway, motorists are not required to stop. State law does not permit school buses to load or unload children where they will be required to cross a four-lane, divided highway.

However, motorists following a school bus on a four-lane street or highway must stop behind the stopped school bus in both the driving and passing lanes while the red lights are flashing and the stop sign is extended.

And Reeves says the flashing yellow lights on the school bus do not mean drivers should speed up to pass the bus before it stops. "The flashing yellow lights tell drivers behind and in front of the school bus that it is preparing to stop and pick up or discharge children. It warns drivers to slow down and be prepared to stop if they cannot pass the bus safely before the stop sign is extended," he explained.

School bus, stop-sign violations occur throughout Cape Girardeau, but Reeves said there are some particular "hot spots" where the number of violations is much higher. They include:

Perryville Road/Perry Avenue, at a curve near the intersection with Mississippi St.

The entire length of North and South West End Boulevard.

Mount Auburn Road, the entire length, but particularly in the area between Independence and Hopper Road near two large subdivisions.

North Kingshighway, at the entrance to the Star-Vue Mobile Home Park.

Reeves said the North Kingshighway location is particularly dangerous because motorists are coming off KFVS Hill in the southbound lane at a high rate of speed and are not watching for the school bus that's stopped ahead of them in the driving lane. Although Kingshighway is a four-lane street, Reeves noted vehicles are required to stop for school buses if they are traveling in the same direction as the bus.

He said Mount Auburn is another serious problem area because many motorists mistakenly believe it is a four-lane street. It is not. "We have drivers that are passing stopped school buses on Mount Auburn because they think it's a four-lane street," said Reeves. "Mount Auburn is a two-lane street. Vehicles in both lanes must stop for a stopped school bus."

Kurre says her bus drivers report the greatest number of violations occur on Highway 177, between Fruitland and the Procter and Gamble plant near Neely's Landing; along Highway 72, from the Lake View Acres subdivision, near the intersection of Highway 34, south to West Lane; and Route W, from the Pilot House, northward to the Route W-Y intersection.

Scott City School Superintendent Bob Brison said his bus drivers report the majority of violations occur on Main Street. "That's about 80 percent of our exposure to traffic," said Brison.

Reeves and Kurre said their drivers have already reported several instances since school started where children were nearly struck by motorists who failed to stop for the school bus. Bus drivers are instructed to record the license number and make of the vehicle. Jackson Police Chief Larry Koenig said it's the policy of his department to issue citations. "When a bus driver reports a violation, and is able to get a license number, we will make an arrest. We have done so in the past and will continue to do so," the chief said.

Sgt. Albert Moore of the Cape Girardeau Police Department's traffic division said officers will make an arrest when a signed complaint is received from the bus driver. "If one of our officers witnesses a violation, he will make the stop and issue a citation without the driver having to file a complaint," said Moore. "We've already made several arrests the past two months for school bus, stop-sign violations."

Reeves said most school bus, stop-sign violations are caused by speeding and inattention to driving. "I suggest if people are running that close on time to get where they're going, they need to leave earlier," he said. "Many people run school bus stop signs because their mind isn't on their driving. They may be putting on their make-up, lighting a cigarette, or having a morning cup of coffee. In other words, they're doing everything except what they should be doing watching ahead for traffic hazards, such as that big yellow school bus stopped in the road ahead of them with the red lights flashing and the stop-sign arm extended."

Reeves said it only takes an instant for a child to be struck by a motorist who failed to stop. "That person will have to live with the fact that he or she was responsible for the death of a young child. No amount of wishing will ever bring that life back," said Reeves. "I plead with motorists to keep that in mind every day when they see one of our school buses stopped and the lights flashing."