ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – School officials in Orange County are spreading the word of awareness to drivers during School Bus Safety Week.
On Wednesday, News 6 climbed on board a school bus to witness the dangers students see everyday.
"We need everybody to pay attention. The drivers and the students," said lead bus operator Debra Rash.
Rash drove a school bus along a section of Goldenrod Road known for issues with drivers not stopping for students who board the bus.
"This is the one section of Goldenrod that 90 percent of the drivers do not stop for a school bus," said Rash.
While riding along, a News 6 camera caught several drivers continuing to drive while warning lights were on and the bus was stopped.
"They're just going right past and they're continuing," said Rash. "It's insane and this is all the time."
Officials with School Bus Safety Week, which began the week of Oct. 19, aim to encourage drivers to be safe around stopped school buses.
While a bus is stopped, drivers in Florida are required to stop in both directions on a two-lane road or a multi-lane road with a paved bi-directional turn lane. Drivers in the opposite direction are only allowed to proceed if the roadway is divided a barrier or at least five feet of unpaved space.
A recent study showed drivers illegally pass stopped school buses nearly 2 million times in Florida every year. A statistic many bus drivers believe can easily be changed.
"Everybody, please pay attention," said Rash. "Obey the laws and everybody can get home and to school safely."