Westminster Police Prepare for Back to School Patrols

The Westminster Police Department is reminding citizens to pay attention on the roads and around schools Monday -- the first day of school for Carroll County Public Schools. 

State law requires vehicles to stop for school buses that are loading and unloading children. The only exception to the rule is the school bus that is across a divided highway with a median, according to a news release.

Officers will be monitoring bus stops and buses that travel throughout the city limits for violations of Transportation Article 21-706 a (Failure to stop for stopped school vehicle operating alternately flashing red lights) during both the morning and afternoon bus routes.  Officers will enforce violations based on a zero tolerance policy, according to a news release. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 123 school-age pedestrians (younger than 19) have been killed in school-transportation-related crashes since 2001. There were 49 school age pedestrians killed in school transportation-related crashes between the ages of five and seven, according to NHTSA.  

In addition to minding buses loading and unloading children, police remind motorists to pay attention to students using crosswalks as they walk to school. 

Maryland law states that the driver of a vehicle shall come to a stop when a pedestrian is in a crosswalk and:

• The pedestrian is on the half of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling; or
• The pedestrian is approaching from an adjacent lane on the other half of the roadway. 

Anyone with questions should contact Lt. Misty Budzinski at 410-848-4646.