Pittsburgh-area police departments crack down on drivers illegally passing school buses
SHALER, Pa. (KDKA) — Police in the Pittsburgh area are cracking down on people driving recklessly near school buses.
On Wednesday, police were cracking down on Mount Royal Boulevard near Shaler Township as part of Operation Safe Stop. The idea is to raise awareness about not passing stopped school buses with flashing red lights.
"Since the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, Shaler Township police have issued seven citations," Shaler Township Police Officer Leah Nock said.
"Any time I see a school bus coming to a stop, I make sure I watch the entire surroundings to see if there are any violators," the officer added. "We hope to see none. We hope that everyone in the public is keeping all the students safe."
Pennsylvania senators passed a bill to create new traffic rules and penalties for people driving recklessly near school buses. This extends the required stopping distance from 10 to 15 feet when a bus flashes its red lights and puts the side stop arm out.
The bill also cracks down on repeat offenders. Drivers could get points on their license or their license suspended and be forced to attend a PennDOT driver school and pass an exam.
The bill now heads to the Pennsylvania House.
