CHARLESTON, W.Va. – With many schools across the state scheduled to open within the next couple of weeks, the West Virginia Board of Education and the West Virginia Department of Education want to remind motorists to exercise extra caution.
“We ask motorists to be extremely cautious, pay attention, and obey the bus signals while the students are being loaded and unloaded from the bus,” Marple said. “Avoid the urge to use your cell phones or other electronic devices while driving. Not only is it now against the law to do so in West Virginia, it is a real threat to the safety of our children.”
Drivers who fail to stop when a school bus stops and flashes its warning lights can be charged with a felony if their actions result in injury or death. A driver who causes an injury faces up to three years in prison; a driver who kills someone could be put in prison for up to 10 years. Drivers who simply fail to stop can be charged with a misdemeanor and jailed up to six months.
For more information, contact Liza Cordeiro the Office of Communication at 304-558-2699.