La Porte County Sheriff’s deputies will be positioned along bus stops and routes looking for stop-arm violations and motorists driving dangerously over the next couple of weeks.
A press release from the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office stated they will be working to safeguard students this spring. The overtime patrols are part of Indiana’s Stop-Arm Violation Enforcement (SAVE) program. As part of the effort, deputies will work with local school corporations and bus drivers to identify problem areas where the highest number of violations occur.
In Indiana, it is against the law for motorists to pass a stopped bus while it has its red lights flashing and stop-arm extended. This applies to all roads, with one exception that includes a multi-lane roadway divided by a physical barrier or unpaved median. For the one exception, vehicles traveling in the opposite direction of the bus may proceed with due caution.
The SAVE program works to provide safe transportation routes for students going to and from school in Indiana. Grants are awarded to law enforcement agencies to conduct high visibility patrols along school bus stops and routes. SAVE is funded by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.
