By Chase Holmes, News Reporter
TRUSSVILLE — There have been at least 8 citations issued by the Trussville Police Department (TPD) for passing stopped school buses in the last week.
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All school buses come equipped with a camera to catch those passing while the stop sign and flashing warning lights are activated. Once a person is captured passing the school bus while it is stopped, there is a multi-step process to issuing the citation.
The Alabama School Bus Safety Act allows Officers to issue an Alabama Uniform Traffic Ticket and Complaint (UTC) by mail after reviewing the violation from the Trussville City School bus camera. Once the ticket is completed, Trussville City Court will send the owner of the vehicle shown to be in violation by the school bus camera a copy of the UTC with a notice to appear in court by mail.
According to the National Safety Council, 108 people were killed nationwide in school bus related accidents in 2021. A school bus-related crash is defined as any crash in which a school bus is directly or indirectly involved. This includes incidents involving school children getting in or out of the bus.
“The Trussville Police Department takes all traffic complaints seriously,” said Lieutenant Riner with the TPD, “When it comes to school bus safety, we work with Trussville City Schools to gather all evidence available. It’s important to remember that passing a stopped school bus is illegal and can result in a fine and potentially cause injury to a child.”
Bus safety was put under a spotlight yesterday when a 15-year-old girl was killed after being hit by a truck while attempting to get on her bus.
Superintendent Patrick Martin said that it is important to remember that students are at their most vulnerable to entering or exiting a bus.
“We always urge caution when you see a school bus. That is when our students are most vulnerable in when they load and unload the buses,” said Martin. “We were reminded of the seriousness with the loss of a life with a student in St. Clair County yesterday.”
