'Slow down, stay alert.' CTDOT urging drivers to be more cautious as school year begins
The state is urging drivers to slow down, put the phones away and stay alert for kids in and around school zones.
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As kids head back to school, it's not just classrooms that are filling up.
School zones are seeing more foot traffic as kids walk, bike and take the bus to school.
"The first couple of days are very chaotic," says Diana Chang, of Norwalk. "But the staff at Tracey Magnet school is doing a great job getting everyone in order."
The state is urging drivers to slow down, put the phones away and stay alert for kids in and around school zones.
"Children walking or biking to school may be unpredictable," says CT DOT Deputy Commissioner Laoise King. "They might cross mid-block, dart between cars, or forget to look both ways."
Passing a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing and its stop arm out is against the law.
“If you don’t follow the law, there’s a hefty fine in store for you," says Sen. Richard Blumenthal. "Four hundred and fifty bucks on the first violation, and up to $1,000 and 30 days in jail on the second violation."
Communities like Danbury and Shelton have recently added stop-arm cameras to their school buses.
Last year alone, the city of Bridgeport issued more than 20,000 tickets to drivers who were caught on camera illegally passing stopped school buses.
“And it does not require a police officer to witness," says Chief Josh Bernegger, chairman of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association Traffic Safety Committee. "Bus drivers can report violators to the police, and the police are required to issued a citation."Parents and neighbors are hoping for a safe school year.
“Drive as if it were your kid crossing the road," says Gregory Herman Jr., of Norwalk.
"We’re all in this together," says Susan Titsworth. "Let’s just slow down, take a breath, and it’s all going to be OK."
