FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2002
CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8755

COLUMBIA - The South Carolina Department of Public Safety today announced that since it began its school bus safety enforcement initiative on August 13, 80 citations -- -including 58 for passing a stopped school bus -- have been issued.

“This enforcement effort has proved to us that we are needed on those bus routes,” said DPS Director B. Boykin Rose. “We know from reports by bus drivers and motorists that people continue to pass stopped buses. That’s why our efforts are important and must continue.”

The Highway Patrol began an enforcement initiative statewide on August 13 as well as a public information campaign to educate motorists about the law and the penalties associated with passing a stopped school bus. The campaign began in part because of the volume of complaints coming in from school bus drivers who daily saw motorists operating recklessly around school buses. The fine for passing a stopped school bus can be as much as $1,000 and up to 30 days in jail for a first offense.

The Highway Patrol worked with the Department of Education to identify problem areas in each Highway Patrol district. Enforcement has been based on the needs in those areas and manpower. The Highway Patrol has used several enforcement techniques to catch violators including: placing troopers on selected buses to observe violations, having troopers shadow buses on their routes and use of special enforcement vehicles such as motorcycles and unmarked patrol cars.

The highest number of citations has been issued in the Greenville, Orangeburg and Dorchester County areas. Other violations that have been issued as a result of this enforcement effort include: failure to yield, speeding and operating uninsured.

The enforcement campaign will continue throughout the school year. In the 2001 - 2002 school year, eight children were struck at school bus stops, and two of those eight died as a result of their injuries.

“We will continue to patrol these school bus routes and also will step up enforcement in school zones this week as part of School Zone Safety Week,” said Highway Patrol Commander Col. Mike Kelley. “Nothing that we do is as important as protecting our state’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens.”

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SI/114/2002