MIAMI – Miami-Dade police are warning drivers of the consequences of illegally passing a school bus and have posted a video on social media showing the violators.
The video shows children crossing the street to catch the school bus coming dangerously close to being hit by cars because drivers are ignoring the rules of the road.
“A trend we have been seeing for some time is that many of our children are injured while getting on or off the bus to go to school or home,” said Detective Angel Rodriguez.
Cameras installed at school bus stops catch drivers who stop the buses and overtake them illegally.
“We have officers reviewing the footage. If they find there is a violation, a ticket is automatically sent to the driver,” Rodriguez said.
According to police, there have been 11,500 violations of school bus rules since the beginning of this school year, an average of around 1,600 violations per school day.
“The numbers are staggering. They’re through the roof, and I believe we can do more as a county, as our drivers, and as a community. We have a responsibility to make sure our kids can get to school and back home, and that includes using Miami-Dade school buses,” Rodriguez said.
Miami-Dade Police would like to remind all drivers that they must also stop when a school bus stops on a two-lane road.
“The only exception is when there is a raised median or a divided roadway. The vehicles traveling with the school bus traffic must stop. The oncoming vehicles do not have to stop, but they must slow down and be cautious,” Rodriguez said.
So, follow the rules, otherwise you will be fined $225. The fine was lower, but was increased due to the number of violations.