A message from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Spokesman Al Della Fave: This past week the Ocean County Prosecutor Office Facebook Page posted information on an incident in Lakewood where a 9 year old Lakewood boy was struck by a motorist passing a stopped school bus. Almost immediately after making the post, I noticed a good number of comments by local folks citing that they have seen many OC drivers doing this on a regular basis. One post went so far as to identify a specific corner in Brick where they see it happen most every morning, which I immediately passed on to Brick PD.
My message: Those drivers choosing to blatantly pass stopped school buses present a tremendous danger to the children leaving or boarding these buses – as evident by the most recent struck Lakewood youth.
The penalty for Failing to Yield to a School Bus is a motor vehicles summons in which the offender pays a fine and receives Five (5) points. Folks – Reckless Driving is another violation that will get you Five (5) points. Careless Driving is Two (2) points. That shows you the potential danger law enforcement attributes to the violation. In other words: It’s dangerous, very dangerous – in the same category as Reckless Driving and DUI. If lucky you’ll only get the summons and not seriously injure or kill a child.
So please don’t do it. If you see a driver do it and can safely record the cars plate number, please report it to local police. Do not chase down or approach the offender. The safety of children is the responsibility of all adults.
Please drive responsibly – Al Della Fave.
Anyone who doesn’t stop for a bus should lose their license right away! No need to wait for court. There is no possible excuse for it!!!!!!
While i see some people blowing through a school bus stop sign;what is more common in our town is the RECKLESS driving of the school bus drivers that we entrust with our precious children. I see more school busses blowing through stop signs the cars going through the school busses blinking red lights. Its very disturbing.
Unfortunately this is due in part to a much greater population in the area, along with law enforcement being further and further stretched with continuous new mandates being placed on them daily as well as manpower shortages. Add to that distracted drivers (texting) etc..
Perhaps school buses should be equipped with cameras that activate when the buses lights activate. in this way with the aid of the bus driver the violator can be found. In regards to Lakewood, lets face facts. It has become a city, and with that comes city problems.
I was driving on a busy 2 way road last week when a school bus driving the opposite direction than me did not put her yellow lights on, made an abrupt stop while turning on her red lights and opening her doors at the same moment. I was forced to make a short stop in order not to pass her. As well, my kids just told me that their drivers wear earphones in both ears while they are driving and don’t hear when kids yell to stop for someone’s stop. That is extremely unsafe! Bus drivers need to take their responsibility more seriously!
Busses should be equipped with dash cams and tracking that CONSTANTLY record their driving and the driving of motorists around them. This will certainly make the bus drivers and all motorists that interact with them feel accountable and will insure the safety of our precious yiddisha neshomis, the children who are entrusted in our care by Hakodah Buruch Hoo.
I agree it’s a city
1) we have to add traffic lights all over, let’s face it 40 mph down any Ave in lakewood (yes I know that’s speeding but that’s what ppl do) can be fatal.
If u break up each ave a few times PPP will be forced to go slower.
Many bus drivers short stop and throw open their doors before the driver on the opposite side of the road knows what hit them.
& any bus driver who arrogantly & disresponsibly puts on his lights while cars are speeding by should lose his cdl as well.
If bus drivers abuse the stop signs by putting it out when nobody is crossing- and holding up cars for no reason most of the time, the stop sign will never be taken seriously by all drivers.
I drive a school bus in Lakewood. The indifference to human life I see on a daily basis is beyond belief. No turn signals are used, Cars that stop abruptly without pulling over to pick up a hitch hiker etc, etc. Hear this Lakewood – GET THE HELL OFF THE PHONE, YOUR REALLY NOT THAT IMPORTANT !!. MAYBE if your didn’t have a phone in your hand, you could use that turn signal and comprehend that stop sign you just blew thru. I sweat bullets sometimes concerned about the safety of YOUR children.
I see it all the time Buses blowing stop signs speeding threw neighborhoods but never see a bus get pulled over for it
Blaming the bus drivers? Really? The law is the law. You must stop when a school bus has it’s red lights flashing. You risk hitting a child if you feel you don’t have to take the stop sign “seriously.” And #4. Do you really think that we should only worry about Jewish children? Are the non-Jewish children dispensable? Shame on you. The attitude of some posters is actually frightening.
Often in neighborhoods the parents don’t have the children prepared for the school bus. the bus driver waits in front of the home with the lights on for several minutes, this causes a person to have to set and wait for the kids and the mother to come out of the house and then the parent has to kiss the child bye. The children should be ready for the bus. The parents should have the children prepared, and if not the driver should continue with the schedule. But no one should pass a bus with the red lights flashing!