State-wide School Bus Stop Safety Campaign Kicks Off

This is the second time in two years the state has carried out such a campaign. This year, the focus is on safety at the school bus stop. Officials are encouraging parents to make every possible effort to have at least one adult present at each bus stop.

Studies show that student fatalities most often occur when children are run over by their own school buses.

"No bus stop is completely safe as long as it's going to be anywhere on a public road," said bus driver Mickey Finn. "[That's] because of the other drivers involved, sometimes carelessness, sometimes forgetfulness, sometimes just not paying attention to what's going on around them."

Another big focus of this year's campaign is encouraging drivers to observe the swinging stop signs on buses. Failure to stop when a school bus is stopped and displaying its sign can lead to fines or even arrest, and elevated insurance rates and Division of Motor Vehicles points.

One major topic of discussion at Wednesday's kick-off conference was "stranger danger." Fresh in everyone's memories was the kidnapping and murder of 5-year-old Brittany Locklear, abducted from her Hoke County school bus stop this past January.

With schools opening for the 1998-99 school year in a matter of days, officials hope people will begin to think about safety.