To ensure students’ safety when traveling to and from school, officers from 58 police agencies increased patrols across the state during the Operation Safe Stop (OSS) enforcement campaign, which ran October 21-25, 2024, in conjunction with School Bus Safety Week.

During the campaign, participating police agencies worked with their local school districts to provide education and enforcement in their communities. OSS enforcement efforts focused on drivers who ignore the flashing red lights and extended “Stop” arm of a school bus that is stopped to pick up or drop off students.

Preliminary reports from 26 participating agencies indicate officers conducted more than 460 hours of enforcement, made 362 traffic stops, and issued 82 illegal passing citations.

Why is OSS so important? In May of 2024, a one-day survey conducted by 2,013 Michigan school bus drivers (7% of all Michigan school bus drivers) reported 1,362 times that a motorist passed their school bus illegally. Of the 1,362 illegal passes, 46 were on the righthand side of the school bus.

The illegal passing of a school bus is extremely dangerous, and a serious traffic offense. Drivers who pass stopped school buses may be charged with civil infractions carrying a fine up to $500. Drivers who pass a stopped school bus and cause an injury, face a misdemeanor charge and a fine up to $1,000 and/or up to one year in jail. Drivers who pass a stopped school bus and cause a death, are subject to a felony with a fine up to $7,500 and/or up to 15 years in jail.

Every time drivers ignore the flashing lights or stop arm of a bus, they are putting a student’s life in danger. Operation Safe Stop will help keep students safe and will educate drivers on how to safely share the road with school buses.

The OSS enforcement campaign was coordinated by the OHSP in partnership with Dean Transportation. For more information about school bus safety, visit Michigan.gov/SchoolBusSafety.