LANSING, Mich. — Extra police will watch Michigan school-bus stops next week under Operation Safe Stop, a statewide ticket-and-education push running Oct. 19-23 alongside National School Bus Safety Week.
City departments and county sheriffs are lining up with districts to cover pickup points and rural corridors where drivers blow past buses that have flashing red lights and an extended stop arm. The message from officers is simple: stay back at least 20 feet or expect a citation on the spot.
State rules treat an illegal pass of a stopped bus as a civil infraction that can cost as much as $500. Harm a student and the case becomes a misdemeanor carrying jail time up to a year plus a fine that can reach $1,000. A fatal crash can be charged as a felony with prison exposure up to 15 years and fines as high as $7,500.
Agencies describe the week as an annual response to near-miss complaints on routes across the state. Branch County crews are joining the larger effort so rural morning and afternoon runs get the same attention as city streets.
Officials are asking parents and motorists to treat every bus stop as a hard stop all week, whether or not a patrol car is parked nearby. The plan mixes warnings with tickets rather than relying on slogans alone.
Section: More Grand Rapids MI crime news
Filed under: Grand Rapids MI Public Safety News
