« Ind. Decisions - Upcoming oral arguments this week and next | Main | Not Law but Interesting - Illinois Citizens Utility Board »

Monday, August 17, 2009

Ind. Law - It's the Law: "Ignoring school bus stops more than infraction"

Ken Kosky's "It's the Law" column in the NWI Times this week looks at school zone speeding and other school laws.

This topic "rang a bell" with me, so I looked back in the ILB archives and, sure enough, the very first of Kosby's excellent columns, published Sept. 1, 2008, dealt with disregarding school bus stop arms.

Today's article talks about school bus arms and other school zone violations in more detail and also touches on firearms and schools:

Area police departments are alerting the public that this is the time of the year when they begin cracking down on people who drive too fast in school zones and who disregard school bus stop arms or crossing guards.

Valparaiso police Sgt. Michael Grennes said most people understand they can be ticketed for speeding in a school zone, but police say many people don't realize that disregarding a school bus stop arm is a misdemeanor, not merely an infraction. In addition, police don't have to witness the offense to charge the offender.

"The bus driver can get the license plate number, vehicle and driver description ... and we can follow up on it," Grennes said.

Portage police Sgt. Keith Hughes said motorists must stop for a school bus stop arm whether they are going the same direction as the bus or the opposite direction. They must stop even if on two-lane roads with a turn lane in the middle or undivided four-lane roads.

Grennes said people think that if they are a few lanes removed from the bus, and if students aren't walking across all the lanes, they don't have to stop. But Indiana law requires motorists to stop because there is always the chance that a child will dart across the road.

Grennes said police also want to highlight two other laws pertaining to school -- bringing weapons onto school property. It is a felony to possess a firearm on school property or a school bus. It is a misdemeanor to possess a knife at school or on a bus. However, knives may be used if authorized by the school and may be kept in secured vehicles. And people who may legally possess a firearm may have it in their vehicle if transporting another person to or from a school or a school function.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on August 17, 2009 08:31 AM
Posted to Indiana Law