The flashing amber lights on a school bus are somewhat similar to a yellow traffic light. While it’s not required to stop at the sign of the lights, it’s probably a good idea to proceed with caution because the blinking indicates children are near — less than 300 feet away.
In Wake County Monday, school bus driver Gloria Smith had on only the amber signals when a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix struck 14-year-old Maria Fernandez Jimenez and ended the teen’s life. The bus driver was approaching a stop, where she is required by state law to halt 15 feet away from where children are located.
Jimenez was crossing the street from a residence — ahead of her 16-year-old brother — to board the school bus and ran into the car’s path, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. She died at the scene, struck down in front of her brother, six children who were already on the bus and two other students waiting at the stop near J.R. Drive intersection.
“You’re in a rural area where there aren’t going to be very many crosswalks,” said Sgt. Jeff Gordon, N.C. State Highway Patrol public information officer, of the Garner area near the Wake-Johnston County line. “It appears she was trying to cross the road and ran into the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix.”
He said criminal charges for the Pontiac driver Terri Lynne Guttery of Willow Springs aren’t probable, but Highway Patrol will consult with the Wake County District Attorney’s office after the investigation to finalize the decision. The car’s speed was not applicable to the case, but Gordon said hopefully parents will sit down with their children to discuss school bus stop safety.
“Parents need to stress to (their children) to not cross the road before the bus completely stops, the red lights are activated and all traffic has stopped,” said Cindy Bruner, local Transportation Information Manual System coordinator. “Just because the lights are red doesn’t mean traffic will stop.”
Gordon said numerous people fail to stop at stopped school busses, though a stop violation was not the case in the Jimenez scenario.
According to the state’s Department of Public Instruction’s Transportation Services, nearly 4,000 vehicles passed stopped school busses in 2011. Drivers have a log to keep track of the stoparm violations. Last year, more than 3,200 vehicles passed.
In Lenoir County, where about 6,000 students ride the school bus, all of them are educated on general school bus safety and tips. During the first 10 days of the school years, teachers enforce bus safety — from cautionary behavior to evacuation drills, which they learn on-and-off throughout the school year.
North Carolina’s school bus safety website includes tips for drivers, parents in students, including safe ways to walk to the bus stop and board and exit a school bus.
Bruner said it’s imperative for drivers, parents and students to be alert when a school bus is sighted, especially on small roads. The rural street where Jimenez was struck did not have any nearby crosswalks.
“In the more rural areas, the (bus) driver has to look at the situation that’s going on around them,” Bruner said. “We try not to make stops at blind curves.”
The Lenoir County Bus Garage contacted the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to have a “bus stop ahead” sign placed on N.C. 258 North and Will Baker Road.
“That is kind of a blind curve,” Bruner said. “Traffic doesn’t see it until they’re on top of the bus. It’s a neat sign. It’s got a bus on it and it’s got red on the sign.”
There are several other ways the county promotes school bus safety, such as not routing buses on busy streets such as Carey Road and changing bus stops that are too hazardous.
“(Bruner) will work with us to make sure our children are safe,” said Cynthia Faulkner, Banks Elementary School principal. “She is very flexible.”
Faulkner said her teachers monitor bus riders after school and bus drivers are aware of their surroundings.
“The driver knows; once you’ve been driving for a long time you kind of have a feel for it,” Bruner said. “You can watch the children and the traffic and try to gauge what’s going on most of the time. A good driver will be able to gauge the traffic and the setting of each stop.”
Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.
BREAKOUT BOX:
North Carolina School Bus Stop Laws
When a school bus stops for passengers at a —
- Two-lane roadway: All traffic from both directions must stop
- Two-lane roadway with center turning lane: All traffic from both directions must stop
- Four-lane roadway without a median separation: All traffic from both directions must stop
- Divided highway of four lanes or more with a median separation: Only traffic following the bus must stop
- Roadway of four lanes or more with a center turning lane: Only traffic following the bus must stop
Source: N.C. Department of Transportation
For more information on school bus safety, visit the School Bus Safety Center at ncbussafety.org.