Question: My children’s bus stop is on Highway 22 and they need to cross the highway to get on the bus. There have been a number of close calls with automobiles not stopping when they should. This is even scarier because it is so dark in the mornings. What can be done?

Answer: I would be wary of leaving children alone at a bus stop on a major highway; it is an inherently dangerous situation. Contact your school district regarding routes and stops, they have a committee that deals with the transportation of students and often changes can be discussed.

Always wait for vehicles to stop completely before the children cross to load, never assume it “is” stopping, and make eye contact. If a stop arm violation does occur, you need to call 911, even with minimal information. Taking action, writing a citation and educating the violator is our best defense.

Another deterrent is a basic and sound understanding of the law: We cannot pass the bus when the stop arm and red lights are activated. Stop at least 20 feet away, remaining stopped until the stop arm is retracted and the lights are off. When amber pre-warning lights are on you cannot pass on the right of the bus and your intent should be to stop as the stop arm is soon to be extended, and the amber lights are warning you of the stop sign. Passing the bus on the right side or passenger-door side and/or if children are still on the street, road or adjacent sidewalk elevates the violation from a misdemeanor to a gross misdemeanor. You do not need to stop if the bus is on a parallel roadway and you are separated by a safety isle or safety zone (grass medium, concrete divider, etc.). Fines for these violations are $300 plus.

Always do your own driving and never let anyone direct you who are not authorized. Recently, I witnessed a bus driver motion a stopped driver through the stop arm. Unsure of what I saw, I spoke with the bus driver before pursuing the misguided mom. He had indeed motioned the driver through the stop arm because he was waiting for a child that was late and could be seen up the block running toward the bus, he thought there was plenty of time. The paths this event could have taken are many and some may have been tragic as the vehicle and the students paths crossed, thankfully not at the same time.

If these rules are bypassed things become unpredictable and the safety of our children compromised. I did not write a citation to the mom — I chose to discuss it with the bus company and they were very receptive.

Jacalyn Sticha is a sergeant with the Minnesota State Patrol’s Mankato district.