LIMA — State troopers are reminding motorists to pay attention to stopped school buses as a new school year is about to begin.
Drivers should be alert and remember school buses full of children frequently stop. Motorists should stop at least 10 feet behind a school bus. That same distance applies for vehicles coming from the opposite direction, the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported.
When the bus stops with flashing lights and the stop sign is displayed, motorists must stop in both directions unless the road has four lanes with a turn lane or greater. Failure to do so can result in a heavy fine, the patrol reported.
Between 2012 and 2014, 4,059 drivers in Ohio were convicted of failing to stop for a school bus that was loading or dropping off passengers, the patrol reported.
