BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) — Flashing lights and a stop arm.
"Kids are going to see that the stop arm is out and they are going to want to run to get on the bus, and we do not want one of the kids to get hit by a car," said Officer Chris Abbott of the Bellevue Police Department.
No matter what direction you are coming from, Bellevue police said when you are sharing the road with a school bus and the stop arm comes out, you must stop.
"Give the kids enough space, where they can get to the bus safely. If you are going by and the stop arm come out right when you are going past, stop and do the best you can," Abbott said.
Bellevue Public Schools uses camera technology developed and installed for free by a local company, Radio Engineering Industries, to track violators who pass through the stop arm.
If the stop arms are out and flashing and a car passes by, the camera captures it. Then the transportation department at Bellevue schools reviews it and sends the footage to local law enforcement if it is believed to be a violation.
Eleven of the Bellevue Public School buses have this technology and this school year they have already reported nine incidents to the police.
"I think it is a learning process every year, people aren't used to, through the summer, they aren't used to seeing the buses in their neighborhoods, so they don't think about it," said Rich Casey, director of transportation at Bellevue Public Schools.
A $500 citation can get drivers' attention — a big help to bus drivers.
"They do their job of safely loading and unloading students. We let the system capture the violation. We the let police and law enforcement — whether it be, in our case, Sarpy County or Bellevue police — react to that violation however they choose to," Casey said.
Not sure what is required around school buses?
- The National Safety Council recommends you never pass a bus from behind if it's stopped to pick up or drop off kids.
- Stop if the yellow or red lights are flashing.
- The area 10 feet around the bus is the most dangerous for kids, so keep your distance.
- And stay alert, since kids as we know can be unpredictable.
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