Lebec, CA (Monday, Sept. 10, 2018 at 10:27 a.m.)—The Fort Tejon office of California Highway Patrol in Lebec reported today that it will be placing officers to ride as passengers on schoolbuses to actively watch for motorists who fail to stop for a school bus with its flashing red lights and “stop” sign extended. The enforcement operation will take place within the Mountain Communities.

The officers will be in communication with CHP patrol vehicles in the proximity of the school bus. Drivers who are observed illegally passing a school bus during the safety operation will be stopped by an officer and enforcement action will be taken.

The CHP reminds all drivers, when a school bus flashes red lights (located at the top front and back of the bus), you must stop from either direction until the children are safely across the street and the lights stop flashing. The law requires you remain stopped as long as the red lights are flashing. If you fail to stop, you may be fined up to $1,000, and your driving privilege could be suspended for one year. Yellow flashing lights on a school bus warn a driver to slow down and prepare to stop. If the school bus is on the other side of a divided or multilane highway (two or more lanes in each direction), you do not need to stop.

This is part of the September 7, 2018 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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