News
Entertainment
Do you know what to do if you see a school bus with flashing red lights? The answer seems obvious but Snowmass Village Police say the incidence of drivers blowing off the signal, which means “stop,” is on the rise and they aren't taking the situation lightly.
“We've really been running into an almost daily occurrence of vehicles (ignoring) flashing lights,” said Sgt. Brian Olson. The cops should know – they frequently tail one of the four Aspen School District buses that serve the Village.
Worst offenders seem to be those drivers who are impacted by either route O, which runs along Owl Creek Road, and route H, which uses Brush Creek Road and circles up to the mall and down Carriageway. In particular, the bus stop at Mountain View seems to be a magnet for poor driving decisions.
“We're getting it from tourists and locals alike,” said Olson. “And it's not just people who don't understand the school bus laws of the U.S.”
Fred Brooks, transportation director for the school district noted that “One of the most dangerous things a car can do is pass” while kids are still moving around a bus. He went on to say that “Snowmass gets more write-ups” than buses in Aspen and environs. Write-ups come from the bus drivers who already have their hands full navigating busy and often snow-packed streets.
So far this season, local police have issued six tickets and Olson figures they have written double that number of citations. The ticket commands a $60 fine and six points on the license.
When the police follow a school bus, they will typically gauge whether nearby drivers are paying attention and whether or not they will be making a complete stop. Bus drivers may first flash yellow lights to tell drivers that a full-on stop is coming.
The yellow lights “are not like a traffic light where you floor it,” Olson said with a slight chuckle. Instead, they are meant to alert drivers of a pending full stop by the bus.
Another issue police are seeing is that some drivers don't realize that while kids load the bus on one side, they can hail from 360 degrees. So even after the lights are off and the bus has departed, there very well could be kids hovering who need to cross a busy road.
Fortunately, there have been no injuries to date because of this issue. The police want to keep that record safe as well as emphasize better driving practices by residents and guests alike.
“We really need to give (the school bus drivers) a break,” Olson said.
“We've really been running into an almost daily occurrence of vehicles (ignoring) flashing lights,” said Sgt. Brian Olson. The cops should know – they frequently tail one of the four Aspen School District buses that serve the Village.
Worst offenders seem to be those drivers who are impacted by either route O, which runs along Owl Creek Road, and route H, which uses Brush Creek Road and circles up to the mall and down Carriageway. In particular, the bus stop at Mountain View seems to be a magnet for poor driving decisions.
“We're getting it from tourists and locals alike,” said Olson. “And it's not just people who don't understand the school bus laws of the U.S.”
Fred Brooks, transportation director for the school district noted that “One of the most dangerous things a car can do is pass” while kids are still moving around a bus. He went on to say that “Snowmass gets more write-ups” than buses in Aspen and environs. Write-ups come from the bus drivers who already have their hands full navigating busy and often snow-packed streets.
So far this season, local police have issued six tickets and Olson figures they have written double that number of citations. The ticket commands a $60 fine and six points on the license.
When the police follow a school bus, they will typically gauge whether nearby drivers are paying attention and whether or not they will be making a complete stop. Bus drivers may first flash yellow lights to tell drivers that a full-on stop is coming.
The yellow lights “are not like a traffic light where you floor it,” Olson said with a slight chuckle. Instead, they are meant to alert drivers of a pending full stop by the bus.
Another issue police are seeing is that some drivers don't realize that while kids load the bus on one side, they can hail from 360 degrees. So even after the lights are off and the bus has departed, there very well could be kids hovering who need to cross a busy road.
Fortunately, there have been no injuries to date because of this issue. The police want to keep that record safe as well as emphasize better driving practices by residents and guests alike.
“We really need to give (the school bus drivers) a break,” Olson said.
