HEADS UP: Police cracking down on drivers passing stopped school buses

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — During mornings and afternoons, Gainesville police are watching to see if drivers are illegally passing stopped school buses.

One parent and grandmother, who watches over all the children getting on the bus outside a hotel on a busy five-lane road, said she will even get in traffic to flag down drivers.

"I'll be hollering at them, ‘Stop! Stop! Stop!' We have kids, and they don't pay any attention at all," Vivian Camp said.

Gainesville police heard the concerns and are patrolling busy bus stops where students are being picked up and dropped off. They will be writing tickets for anyone who does not stop.

"We are cracking down on that. We want to make sure our students are safe," Nicholas Smith, with Gainesville police said.

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When the lights come on and stop sign comes out, it means all traffic needs to stop, even on multi-lane roads.

"Both behind it and in lanes coming from the opposite direction," Camp said.

But there is still some confusion for drivers.

The law got clarified last year for those coming at the bus from the other side.

You still must stop, even if there is a center turn lane.

"The only time you would not come to a stop is if there's a concrete or grass median, or barrier in between you and the school bus," Camp said

Even though Channel 2 cameras didn't catch anyone recently, and neighbors say the patrols are helping especially in the afternoons, drivers still do it, mostly in the morning when it's still dark and harder to see.

Cox Media Group