Summer will soon turn to fall and along with the change of season will come a change in lifestyle for our young people as school bells ring once again. For many students it is a return to a familiar routine, but for some it is the start of a whole new world. For all of us, it is a time to think of safety first.

In New York State, approximately 50,000 drivers illegally pass a school bus every day. This illegal practice endangers the lives of children trying to get to and from school – and it must be stopped.

In order to combat this dangerous and illegal behavior, New York has instituted Operation Safe Stop. The cooperative project is supported by the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the New York State Education Department, the New York Association for Pupil Transportation, the New York State School Bus Contractors Association, the student transportation industry and state, county, city and local law enforcement agencies. Their mission is to promote school bus safety through education enforcement efforts.

The first thing a motorist needs to know is the law itself, which can vary a bit from state to state. In New York the law states:

• Drivers must stop when the school bus red lights are flashing;

• Even on divided, multilane highways or school grounds, drivers are required to stop for flashing red lights;