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Each year, WCASD uses over 200 school buses to transport approximately 17,000 students to and from school each school day and travels nearly 3.6 million miles a year.
In October, Operation Safe Stop is conducted in communities across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of National School Bus Safety Week. The West Chester Area School District, along with local law enforcement, Krapf Bus Companies, and On the Go Kids will once again be participating in Operation Safe Stop.
What is Operation Safe Stop?
Operation Safe Stop is a public awareness and enforcement effort to educate the motoring public that passing a stopped school bus, when children are loading or unloading, is both dangerous and illegal. Law enforcement agencies, school transportation providers, pupil transportation associations and PennDOT have combined their efforts to raise public awareness about the potential consequences, and reduce the occurrence of illegal school bus passes.
Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law:
Pennsylvania state law requires motorists to stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop arm extended. Motorists must stop when they are behind the bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.
How Can I Participate?
Members of the general public are also welcome to participate in Operation Safe Stop on October 19th. Individuals who want to participate should complete forms to document violations of the bus passing law. The completed forms must be faxed to the Transportation Office (484-266-1181) no later than October 31st. An explanation of the Bus Stopping Law as well as a form to use in documenting violations can be accessed using the Operation Safe Stop link below.
