WOOD COUNTY, Ohio — Editor's note: A clarification on a difference in Michigan and Ohio laws has been added. Drivers in Michigan are required to stop at least 20 feet away from buses unless driving in the opposite direction on a divided highway.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol has reported around 6,200 crashes involving school buses since 2017, including 1,943 people injured in them.
Lucas County has the fourth highest number in the state, so OSHP Sgt. Ryan Purpura said they will follow school buses to watch for unsafe drivers.
"That's just to let the school bus drivers know we're behind them, looking out for the safety of the school bus and the safety of the children on board," Purpura said. "And we do want the motor public to see that we're following school busses, to pay attention to them when they stop."
He said many of the roads they drive on in the counties and townships are in rural areas with one lane in each direction, so drivers are required to stop anytime they see the school bus's stop sign out.
Purpura said drivers have to come to a complete stop no closer than 10 feet from the bus and cannot resume driving until the bus has.
But on roads with four or more lanes, you do not have to stop while traveling in the opposite direction.
Lake Township has installed four cameras on the inside of all its buses, as well as one camera on the outside, that they can pull footage from to report to law enforcement.
"Someone who runs a school bus' red lights, that is a violation that the bus driver can report to us as law enforcement officers and we can investigate that violation and if you do violate, we can issue a citation," Purpura said.
He also said drivers should adjust to new schedules as the school year starts by being patient and planning for more time on commutes.