WFTV reporter catches cars driving past stopped school bus picking up students

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — WFTV reporter Steve Barrett rode behind an Orange County school bus Monday morning and caught cars passing a stopped bus picking up children.

Orange County had one reported crash in the morning.

"We had one bus accident, minor. We had no students on board," Orange County schools spokesperson Kathy Marsh said.

But each year, there are more serious crashes, often involving drivers who do not know the rules of the road, are not paying attention or just are not concerned with safety.

Monday morning, Barrett witnessed an example at a bus stop during a live broadcast.

On Kirkman Road, three cars sped by the school bus as students boarded.

"Be wary. Look out for the kids you know. Make sure that you obey the traffic rules. When the school bus stops, make sure you stop for the school bus," said Kenneth Lewis of Seminole County schools.

Last school year, there were several bad crashes involving school buses or bus stops.

In August 2013, in Sanford, two students were killed riding in a car that pulled in front of an oncoming bus.

In March, a high school student was struck by an SUV and severely injured in Waterford Lakes trying to get to a bus stop.

"If the school bus is stopped and the stop arm is out and the lights are flashing that means kids are boarding or disembarking from the buses," Lewis said.

In 2012, a pilot program used a camera to capture drivers not stopping at boarding buses.

Tickets are not being issued with the cameras yet, but that technology might be just around the corner.

WFTV