It's no secret - the safety of the children in Lower Moreland Township is a primary concern for our community.  On a daily basis, you will see our officers enforcing speed limits in school zones, walking through the school buildings, properly installing car seats, and interacting with young people at any one of our many township parks.  However, we have been seeing a growing trend that has us concerned, which brings up to this week's Safety Tip - PASSING SCHOOL BUSES.

Since school started, we have received numerous complaints regarding motorists passing school buses while they were loading or off-loading students.  As a result, we have increased our patrols and conducted enforcement in these areas.  Passing a school bus is extremely dangerous especially for the children who have to cross the street from their residence to get on or off the bus.  Not only is this a serious concern to the Lower Moreland Police Department, but also to PennDOT, as they issue some of the harshest penalties for this violation:

• $250 fine
• Five points on your driving record
• Mandatory 60-day license suspension

So when do you have to stop for a school bus?  Section 3345 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code explains that a motorist that is approaching a school bus with its red lights activated must stop at least 10-feet before reaching the bus and remain stopped until the red lights are no longer active.  Additionally, any motorist that is approaching a school bus with its yellow/amber lights activated must proceed with caution and prepare to stop.  But what if you're at an intersection?  How about if you're on the opposite side of a busy highway?  These questions can be confusing to some drivers. 

Check out the illustrations below...

gif2.gif

paschoolbussm.jpg

Please help us keep our roadways and children safe by being attentive and cautious around school buses.  For more information on school bus safety, the law, and things you can do to better prepare yourself as a driver, click here.