Perry Township cracking down on drivers that don’t stop for school buses
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Perry Township School Police Department has been out in full force. They’re enforcing school bus stop arm violations.
Officers say consider this your warning, because if you’re caught not stopping for a bus you will be given a ticket instead of a warning.
Shelby Street is a busy road with heavy traffic at times. The road also goes through a neighborhood. It’s the kind of neighborhood with signs that read, “slow down, kids at play.”
Neighbors like Jason Crecelius is among many who are vigilant.
“Please be careful as our children are going back and forth in the mornings and afternoons. Just be aware of your surroundings,” he asked.
Crecelius has three kids: one at the high school, one in the middle school and one in elementary school. That means the bus swings by three times in the morning and three in the afternoon. Safety is a top concern.
“Overall their safety, not just getting to school, but while they’re in school and then getting home,” said Crecelius.
Parents aren’t the only ones concerned about safety, after state police say a driver in Fulton County hit and killed three kids and injured one at a bus stop. Perry Township is now beefing up patrol.
“We want to get students to school in a safe environment. We want to get students in an educational environment as safety possible,” said Perry Township School Police Officer William Klein.
During a blitz last week officers focused on a one mile stretch where bus drivers reported several violations. During the morning route over a four day period, police issued seven tickets. On average, the district issues around one to two citations a week for all of its more than 200 bus routes.
“This is a really big deal. The stops that we observed, didn’t have students crossing the roadway. However if they did, that is a serious safety concern,” said Klein.
To date, the district has not had a bus stop death. They want to keep it that way. Parents do as well.
“That’s my job as a father is to protect them and keep them secure,” said Crecelius.
Bus drivers can report violations to police if police are not present. The officer would then decide whether or not to issue a citation.
According to Klein, the main reason drivers who were cited did not stop is because they were unaware of the traffic laws.