School Bus Safety

Amherst Police Chief Scott P. Livingstone and Superintendent of Schools Maria Geryk would like to remind drivers of the importance of stopping for school buses with red flashing lights.  The Amherst Police Department participates annually in programs designed to promote pedestrian safety such as Operation Yellow Blitz, National Walk and Bike to School Day and Safe Routes to School.  The police department also works together with the Amherst School Department and local bus companies following up on reports of drivers not stopping for school buses.

The penalties in Massachusetts for passing a school bus with its red flashing lights on are a $250 fine for the 1^st offense, and a $1,000 fine and 6 month license suspension for the 2^nd offense within 2 years.  The fine for not stopping for a pedestrian in a crosswalk is $200.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2010, 4,280 pedestrians were killed and an estimated 70,000 were injured in traffic crashes in the United States.  On average, a pedestrian was killed every two hours and injured every eight minutes in traffic crashes.

The Amherst Police Department would like drivers to take these simple steps before travelling:

• When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school.
• When driving in neighborhoods with school zones, watch out for young people.
• Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks.
• Slow down. Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops.
• Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
• Learn the "flashing signal light system" that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions:
• Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
• Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and that children are getting on or off.  Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.
• Take time to clear all windows of frost and/or snow.

For additional information please contact Sergeant Todd Lang via email or call (413) 259-3000