KSHB 41 reporter Marlon Martinez covers Platte and Clay counties in Missouri. Share your story idea with Marlon.
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For months, dangerous moments of drivers illegally passing stopped school buses have been captured on video in Platte County. After one of these stories aired, a viewer reached out with a simple question: Do drivers actually understand the law?
I've been showing you video of drivers in Platte County illegally passing stopped school buses. After my latest bus story, a viewer named Dennis wanted to know how many drivers have been educated on stop arm laws.
Here's what Missouri drivers need to know:
Yellow flashing lights are a warning, not a suggestion. This is when drivers should already be paying attention.
"Turning the ambers on 200 feet in advance, 5 to 10 seconds, is to give somebody a warning that the bus is about to stop to pick up students," says JT Thomas director of transportation.
Red lights and stop signs mean stop. When you see flashing red lights and the stop sign, you must stop. That applies if you're behind the bus, coming toward it or alongside it.
Two-lane roads require all traffic to stop On two-lane roads, traffic in both directions must stop with no exceptions.
Four-lane roads depend on medians This rule confuses many drivers. If there is no physical median, traffic in all lanes must stop. But if there is a physical barrier or median, traffic going the opposite direction does not have to stop.
Buses can hold traffic until students are safe. School buses can hold up traffic until all students are seated and the flashing red lights turn off and stop arms retract.
"I don't know that there's a word that can describe how important it is. I guess the question I would ask is how important is a person's life," Thomas said.
In Missouri, passing a stopped school bus can mean fines, points on your license and possible license suspension. Currently, a stop arm violation costs $130.50, but a state representative is working to make that penalty higher.
The bottom line is simple: When the wheels on the bus go round and round, you're free to go. But when you see the stop sign, you must stop.
Violations continue to happen. The district has recorded over 140 stop-arm violations. The proposed bill to increase penalties will be discussed Tuesday in front of a committee.
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