NEWS RELEASE
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
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The goal is zero fatalities and serious injuries on Michigan roads. Since last week, 15 people died on Michigan roadways making a total of 837 this year. In addition, 120 more were seriously injured for a statewide total of 4,587 to date.
Compared to last year at this time, there are 8 fewer fatalities and 128 more serious injuries.
Numbers are provided by the Michigan State Police.
School Bus Safety Week
October 16-20, 2023
To ensure students’ safety when traveling to and from school, law enforcement officers across Michigan will be ramping up patrols as part of a safety initiative looking for drivers illegally passing school buses.
“Operation Safe Stop” is an enforcement campaign that is conducted the third week of October during National School Bus Safety Week. Participating law enforcement agencies will work with their local school districts to provide education and enforcement for their communities on how to safely share the road with buses and provide safety to Michigan's students as they loading and unloading at bus stops.
During a one-day survey conducted by 1,108 Michigan school bus drivers in May 2023, drivers reported 864 times a motorist passed a school bus illegally. Of the 864 illegal passes, 13 were on the righthand side of the school bus. Every time drivers ignore the flashing lights or stop arm of a bus; they are putting a student’s life in danger. Red Means STOP!
According to the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center:
- School bus involved crashes increased 33 percent, from 785 in 2021 to 1,041 in 2022.
- There were 2 fatalities involving a school bus in 2022.
- Of the 1,041 school bus-related crashes, 40 percent occurred at an intersection.
- October 2022 had the highest number of school bus-involved crashes with 136, while September had 121 and November had 120 such crashes.
- The majority of school bus-involved crashes (74 percent) occurred between 6:00-8:59 am and 3:00-5:59 pm.
Respect the “Danger Zone”
The school bus loading and unloading area is called the “Danger Zone”. Specifically, this is any side of the bus where a child may not be seen by the bus driver and, therefore, is in the most danger. Let’s work together to keep our children safe as they wait to ride the bus to and from school.
Drivers should prepare to stop when they see the overhead flashing yellow lights of a school bus and stop at least 20 feet away from a bus when the overhead lights flash red. Go to School Bus Safety for more school bus safety tips.
Drivers who pass stopped school buses may be charged with civil infractions carrying a fine up to $500. Drivers who pass a stopped school bus and cause an injury face a misdemeanor charge and a fine up to $1,000 and/or up to one year in jail. Drivers who pass a stopped school bus and cause a death are subject to a felony with a fine up to $7,500 and/or up to 15 years in jail.
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