The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is reminding drivers to stop for school buses with flashing red lights ahead of National School Bus Safety Week, Oct. 19-23.
The sheriff's office said this year's Operation Safe Stop, a statewide school bus safety education effort, is Wednesday, Oct. 21.
New York law requires drivers approaching a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing to come to a full stop. The rule applies from either direction, including on multilane and divided highways, the sheriff's office said.
The flashing lights indicate that children are boarding or leaving the bus. Drivers may not pass while the bus remains stopped with its red lights flashing.
According to the sheriff's office, an estimated 50,000 vehicles illegally pass school buses in New York each day.
A first violation can bring a $250 to $400 fine, five points on a driver's license and a possible jail term of up to 30 days, the sheriff's office said.
Operation Safe Stop is supported by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee, the state Education Department, pupil transportation groups, school bus contractors and law enforcement agencies across New York.
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