Ada County Sheriff Asks Public to Respect School Bus Laws

The weather is warming up and even despite the SNOW that some parts of the Treasure Valley saw during their morning commutes last week, it's beginning to feel a lot like summer.

With summer on the way and school ALMOST winding down for the year, it's important for us to remember that there are still students on the road, in school busses, and just about everywhere. It seems even more important for those that do not have kids to remember that school is in session, as well. Especially on the road.

The Ada County Sheriff's office has shared via their social media outlets that several tickets have been issued lately for drivers that are not stopping when a school bus has their stop sign out. Even in two or three lane streets, drivers must stop for school busses--going both ways.

The tickets associated with these traffic violations are not cheap, either. Starting at $200 for your first offense and going up to $600 for your third.

It was shared by the office on Facebook:

If you are driving on a two or three-lane street and a school bus pulls over to the side of the road, and red lights start flashing while a stop sign pops out – all drivers must stop until the lights are done and the sign is put away. Deputies have given out seven tickets over the last school year in Ada County for overtaking and passing a school bus – a misdemeanor — with four of those drivers getting busted on N. Horseshoe Bend Road between Floating Feather Road and Hill Road Parkway. So not only is it illegal and expensive to drive by a stopped school bus with the red lights on – it’s downright dangerous for the kids who should be able to safely cross the street but have to wait to see if scofflaw drivers whiz by before they cross.

We hear your warning loud and clear, Ada County Sheriff!

You can see their entire post online, below: