Now that students have returned to school in Limestone County, it is important for motorists to pay close attention to school buses and the children that are aboard, said Darryl Adams, the Limestone County School transportation maintenance director.

“For the most part everyone follows the law,” said Adams. “As far as us locally, we do not have a major problem. However, when you have even one that passes with our sign out, it an unsafe situation.”

Director of the Alabama Department of Public Safety, Col. W.M. Coppage said, the beginning of the school year brings changes in traffic patterns and heightens the need for traffic safety, especially in school zones and around school buses. “There is increased congestion in school zones, including pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and that requires increased caution on the part of all motorists,” said Coppage.

Adams said that Limestone County has had a lot of growth and has increased the amount of school bus routes through the school system.

The school system just added three extra drivers for East Limestone High School and will possibly add more in the future. There are now 96 drivers, including the three just added, each with at least one route.

“We do about 6,500 miles per day,” said Adams.

Coppage said motorists should be reminded that state law requires vehicles to stop when meeting or following a school bus that is stopped to receive or discharge passengers.

“Traffic must stop for buses as children get on and off, and motorists may not proceed until the bus has retracted its stop signal and turned off its flashing red lights,” he said.

There is one day in the spring each year set aside by the state to count and assess school bus passing violations. In comparison to the rest of the state, Limestone County has minimum problems, said Adams.

He said bus drivers report tag numbers to authorities when any driver passes a school bus with the red lights on.

“However, I don’t want to take the situation lightly. Everyone needs to be extra careful. We are carrying our most special commodity,” he said.

Now, as the result of new legislation effective Oct. 1, drivers on divided highways with four or more lanes which permit at least two lanes of traffic to travel in opposite directions need not stop when meeting a school bus which is stopped in the opposing