PRESS RELEASE Aitkin County Sheriff

[admin]

PRESS RELEASE
Aitkin County Sheriff
Daniel G. Guida
218 1st St. N.W.
Aitkin, MN 56431

School bus stop arm violations are on the rise. In the first four months of school, Aitkin County reported violations have already exceeded the last five year’s average. This is not acceptable and the Sheriff’s Office, Aitkin Police Department, and the MN State Patrol will be focusing on enforcement of school bus stop arm violations.

RULES OF THE ROAD
If you are following a school bus, stay back and be prepared to stop. If you see the yellow flashing lights, slow down and stop well behind or before the bus, at a minimum of twenty feet from the bus. If the bus is stopped, you should be stopped. The red lights are activated when the door opens to let the kids out. It is a Gross Misdemeanor to pass a school bus with children present on the street, with a minimum fine of $500.00.

Aitkin County will be collaborating with the school districts for enforcement as the schools apply for Department of Justice grants to provide forward facing cameras on all busses. These cameras capture high quality images of violations that will be used for prosecution.
As a community, please help keep our kids safe and don’t be the one caught on camera!
Aitkin County Sheriff Dan Guida
Aitkin Police Chief Paul Ryan