As students are going back to school buildings for the first time in several months, the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office advises motorists to be cognizant of school buses on the road.

Sheriff Marty Arganbright encourages drivers that are behind a bus to allow a greater following distance than if they were driving behind a car, as it will give you more time to stop once a bus’ yellow lights start flashing. Once a bus is stopped with amber lights flashing and the stop arm extended, traffic cannot pass from either direction. Arganbright says motorists need to be alert when approaching a school bus as they may take frequent stops, and children getting on or off a bus are often unpredictable and tend to ignore hazards and take risks, “It’s a big concern that you always have to think about what you’re doing when you’re driving and it’s not the time to daydream and think about other things because you have to know what’s going on and be prepared to stop or slow down. The buses are out there, we’ve already gotten a call on a vehicle going around a bus stop arm, so be careful that way.”

Arganbright adds that those who unlawfully pass a school bus will receive a fine of at least $250 for their first offense and could risk losing their license. He says most school buses are equipped with cameras to catch offenders, so he advises motorists to drive safely, and allow children enough space when entering and exiting a bus.