OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – More people have been reported as illegally passing Osceola County school buses while students are getting on and off, according to district officials on Wednesday.
The district announced that the results of an annual survey revealed there had been 754 drivers reported as passing buses illegally while their stop arms were out.
Recommended Videos
In a release, school officials said that the figure was an increase of 314 drivers — roughly 41.6%.
“This is the highest number of vehicles ever recorded passing stopped school buses in the history of the annual survey in Osceola County,” Transportation Services Director Arby Creach said. “The survey documents a 41.6% increase over the last year. The numbers are astounding and totally unacceptable.”
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider]
Passing a school bus as it’s letting students on and off is against Florida law and constitutes a safety risk for the bus driver and students.
In Florida, violators can face a minimum of $100 fine the first time they are caught doing so, and a second offense could lead to a suspended license for up to one year.
“This is unquestionably unacceptable, and measures to protect our children and our bus drivers must be taken by our governing officials before it’s too late,” Creach said.
According to district officials, the increase in violations comes as the county’s population continues to grow. The Orlando Business Journal reports that the county’s population has increased by 8.4% since 2020.
In October 2022, the Brevard County school district came out with similar issues, reporting 784 stop-arm violations within the span of two months.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: