Footage Of Drivers Ignoring School Bus Arm Concerns Parents, Days After 3 Students Killed Boarding School Bus
CHICAGO (CBS)-- Video footage of cars ignoring a school bus stop arm in Lemont is an issue worrying local parents.
Ever since three children were struck and killed boarding their school bus in Rochester, Indiana on Tuesday, concerns about school bus safety have been heightened.
After a local family made multiple reports, the Will County Sheriff's Department was out earlier this week keeping an eye on the bus stop.
Don Bermudez's 6-year-old son uses this bus stop and he says he watches cars pass the stopped bus day in and out, leaving students in danger. Bermudez even yells at cars to stop, which can be seen in the video footage outraging parents.
"That's my greatest fear that it that happening right here with my little son coming out and someone using him as a stopping post," Bermudez said.
A driver convicted of passing a stopped school bus in Illinois could face a three-month suspension. For a second offence, they can lose their license for a year. Unfortunately, law enforcement won't always been there.
Chazarae Musaraca's also son uses bus stop and she is concerned.
"It's really scary, I don't want to think about something happening to them," Musaraca said.
Steve Merner, the district manager of the local bus company, says the videos of cars driving past stopped busses are shocking and this happens to his drivers countless times a day.
"We have this risk every time we open the door," Merner said.
Over 3,000 Illinois school buses participated in a one-day study and reported that over 2,100 vehicles passed them illegally.
"You never know when a child is going to pop across a lane," Merner said.