Operation Safe Stop Press Conference Highlights Dangers of Illegally Passing School Buses
The LaFayette Central School District hosted a press conference today at the LaFayette bus garage as part of Operation Safe Stop, an annual statewide law enforcement initiative aimed at preventing drivers from illegally passing stopped school buses.
The event brought together Assemblyman Lemondes, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, Liverpool School District Superintendent Richard Chapman and Lafayette School District Superintendent Kara Lux who stood flanked by local law enforcement officers and school buses with flashing red lights, underscoring the importance of Operation Safe Stop and the need to raise awareness about the dangers of divers passing school buses with flashing red lights and to reinforce the importance of protecting children as they travel to and from school.
Every weekday in New York State, approximately 2.3 million children ride school buses. Yet an estimated 50,000 motor vehicles illegally pass stopped school buses each day. Recent incidents captured on video have shown drivers speeding past stopped buses and coming dangerously close to striking children boarding or exiting.
The consequences can be devastating, and the law carries significant penalties. Drivers convicted of illegally passing a stopped school bus face fines ranging from $250 to $1,000 and possible jail time ranging from 30 days for a first conviction to 180 days for subsequent convictions.
For Lafayette Superintendent Kara Lux, the message behind Operation Safe Stop is deeply personal. Long before becoming superintendent, her husband’s family experienced the devastating loss of her mother-in-law’s five-year-old brother, who was struck and killed by a driver who failed to stop as he exited his school bus. His tragic death forever changed the lives of his family, a heartbreaking reminder of how a driver’s moment of impatience can have lifelong consequences.
“Decades have passed, but that loss never leaves a family. The empty chair at the dinner table stays empty. The missed milestones never happen. All because someone couldn't wait a moment for a school bus,” Lux said.
Lux emphasized that behind every school bus is a community of children, families, drivers and school staff who depend on motorists to make safe decisions.
“Every morning and afternoon across our districts, hundreds of children are getting on and off school buses. We all have a responsibility to keep them safe. When a school bus stops and its red lights are flashing, stop. Give children the time and space they need to get home safely,” Lux said.
Operation Safe Stop serves as an important reminder that school bus safety is a shared responsibility. Through public awareness and enforcement, the initiative aims to change driver behavior and prevent tragedies before they happen.
A few seconds of patience can save a life. When you see a stopped school bus with red lights flashing, stop and stay stopped. Our children's safety is worth the wait.