FOX CROSSING, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Wisconsin drivers may be ticketed for traffic violations even without being pulled over.
State law lets school bus drivers send their own reports to police, and these violations are happening more often than you may think.
“We have about two or three violators a day,” said operations supervisor for Lamers Bus Lines Mike Weihing.
Failure to stop for a school bus was among the top 50 traffic citations and convictions in Wisconsin last year.
“We’re often surprised by the number of people that pass school buses on a daily basis,” Weihing said.
“Even though we do file two or three reports a day, there are a lot more out there that we can’t always get.”
It’s also one of the few you can get where an officer doesn’t have to see it happening.
By law, school bus drivers are able to report violators to police within 24 hours of the violation occurring. Drivers just fill out a form, with a description of the driver, the vehicle, and the license plate number.
Weihing tells FOX 11 the form also asks questions like how far away the passing vehicle was when the stop-arm was out, and whether they think the car had enough time to stop 20 feet from the bus.
“The safety of the kids is ultra-important, so we’re very much in favor of these reports. It’s a very necessary tool.”
Fox Crossing Police Community Liaison Officer Daniel Wiechman tells FOX 11 they cited two drivers based on these reports last week.
“It lets drivers know that just because law enforcement isn’t actively patrolling the area that there are still watchful eyes monitoring their driving behaviors and that those violations can, in fact, have repercussions.”
According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, one school bus occupant is injured or killed every 86.7 hours.
In 2013, there were 137 school bus crashes where a driver was distracted or disregarded the traffic control. That same year, more than a hundred school bus riders were killed or injured in the state.
“It’s a very dangerous practice that’s going on out there, and we just want to keep our kids safe,” Weihing said.
Drivers who don’t stop for a school bus could be fined up to $300.
The violation can also add four points to your license. Your license can be suspended for two months, after 12 points.
