MONROE — Operation Safe Stop Week, held from Sept. 23 to 27 seeks to promote school bus safety through education and enforcement efforts. Operation Safe Stop is a cooperative project supported by the Wisconsin State Patrol and Wisconsin School Bus Association. The goal of Operation Safe Stop Week is to proactively educate motorists about the dangers of passing stopped school buses.

In Wisconsin, there are over 13,000 school buses that transport more than 515,000 students to and from school each school day and travel nearly 70 million miles a year. An estimated 460 motor vehicles illegally pass Wisconsin school buses every day.

Sometimes drivers are not fully alert and pass a stopped school bus. This is a very dangerous situation for the children, especially the younger ones who may not be watching traffic as closely as they should.

Motorists are required to stop at least 20 feet from a stopped school bus that is displaying flashing red lights and stop arm. Each time a motorist violates the school bus stop law, he or she creates a real hazard for the students who are boarding or leaving the bus.

Wisconsin uses an 8-light school bus warning system. The alternately flashing yellow lights mean caution to other motorists because the bus is preparing to stop. The flashing red lights and stop arm mean stop.

Remember: 

Yellow lights mean the bus is going to stop. Motorists slow down.

Red lights mean students are getting on or off the bus. Stop.

For more information, contact the WSBA office, any local bus contracting company, or school district.