MOORESVILLE, N.C. — There have been 222 violations of drivers passing a stopped school bus this semester in the Mooresville Graded School District, officials said.
There are several videos showing vehicles passing stopped school buses.
“A car just zoomed by while, you have students waiting to cross the street,” said Tanae Sump-McLean, the school district’s chief communications officer.
Sump-McLean said it’s disheartening that people are not thinking while driving.
“We’re talking about children and their safety,” Sump-McLean said.
Bus drivers are doing their part. They’re activating warning lights and extending the stop arm.
“We’ve been able to keep our students safe,” said Sump-McLean said. “But you just, you constantly worry, and we just cannot stress enough the importance of following the law.”
Motorists must take responsibility.
“Those kids are relying on you as drivers to drive safely to stop so that they can make sure they’re getting to school safely and back home safely,” Sump-Mclean said.
Parent Carrie Richards’ son was almost hit by a motorcycle that sped past a stop arm in January in the Iredell-Statesville Schools district.
“I don’t know how they don’t see a big yellow bus and they know that they need to stop,” Richards said. “There’s a stop sign. There is the arm out. I just don’t, I don’t get why they don’t stop.”
Richards said the close calls could have ended in tragedy.
“They need to think about what they’re doing, pay attention,” she said. “They could take a kid’s life in a matter of seconds.”
There have not been any injuries because of these violations in the Mooresville Graded School District.
Stop-arm violators could face jail time, especially if a child is hurt.
VIDEO: Motorcycle nearly hits kid while passing stopped Iredell Co. school bus
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