The streets of Baltimore County are busy and, as always, filled with danger for our children. This time, the threat doesn't come from stray bullets or dark alleys but from motorists who fail to share the road safely with schoolchildren. The Baltimore County Police Department has been working to raise awareness about student safety, urging drivers to be cautious, as ignoring the laws around stopped school buses poses a serious risk.
Despite the efforts, including the installation of school bus cameras, school children continue to navigate a gauntlet each day. The figures, delivered with clinical sterility, are nonetheless startling—7,437 citations issued since November 4, as detailed by the Baltimore County Police Department via an official announcement.
The law's parameters are straightforward. It requires drivers on either side of the roadway to halt their journey at least 20 feet from a stopped school bus with activated flashing red lights. This simple act protects the young voyagers as they embark and disembark their chariots of learning. The only exception is, as the law indicates when traversing in the opposite direction on a divided highway.
Ignoring these rules isn't cheap – offenders get a $250 fine. The Baltimore County Police Department continues to press the urgency of the matter, imploring the community not merely to avoid the fine but to safeguard the vulnerable, the kids we collectively vow to protect.
