Neenah Police issue 5 citations for passing stopped school bus; urge drivers to obey law

Neenah Police issued five citations last Wednesday near the intersection of Main Street and Lake Street just west of Arrowhead Park. Drivers violating this law receive a $610 fine.

“There were several obvious violations of vehicles not stopping for the flashing red lights,” said Officer Joe Benoit of the Neenah Police Department.

Despite the fine, drivers are still passing school buses. In 2025, more than 1,300 Wisconsin drivers received citations.

“They just want to go right through,” said Denise Gidlof, a school bus driver in Neenah’s school district. “They don’t feel like they have to stop.”

Gidlof said she’s seen modest improvements in recent years, but it’s still an issue particularly at American Drive and Fair Oaks Drive in Fox Crossing. Police plan to continue to increase enforcement in areas where they see frequent violations.

A few tips for drivers:

• Yellow lights mean you should prepare to stop
• Red lights mean you need to stop, regardless of which direction you’re traveling
• You need to stop at least 20 feet from the bus
• Only exception is a divided highway (a road with a median dividing each direction of traffic) — then use caution but you don’t need to stop, if you’re traveling in the opposite direction

No children have been hit this year in Neenah.

“They need to slow down, and kids’ lives are in danger, because you don’t want to stop,” said Gidlof. “So it’s really important you stop. Otherwise, somebody is going to get hurt.”

Police may still issue a citation even if an officer doesn’t immediately stop the driver — the bus company just needs to report a violation to police within 24 hours. Police would then issue the citation to the owner of the vehicle, if he or she doesn’t give up the identity of the driver.