State Commits More Than Half-a-Million Dollars to Protect Children Travelling to School Thousands of Maryland Drivers Are Violating School Bus Safety Laws

State Commits More Than Half-a-Million Dollars to Protect Children Travelling to School Thousands of Maryland Drivers Are Violating School Bus Safety Laws In February of this year, a on

State Commits More Than Half-a-Million Dollars

to Protect Children Travelling to School

Thousands of Maryland Drivers Are Violating School Bus Safety Laws

In February of this year, a one-day study found that Maryland drivers are bypassing the stop

arms on school buses at what was described as “an alarming rate.” The study was conducted by

the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and found that on a single day, there were

7,028 violations school bus safety laws statewide Nearly 4,000 (3,997) were oncoming drivers

who ignored the stop arm, 2,665 drivers moved past a stopped bus on the bus driver’s side of the

vehicle and 366 drivers passed a stopped bus on the door side

Law enforcement agencies working to reduce these numbers are receiving assistance from

GOCCP, the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention GOCCP today announced that

46 agencies from Ocean City to Allegany County will receive a total of $548,411 to help make

the trip to school safer for Maryland’s children The agencies are receiving these funds through

the Maryland School Bus Safety Enforcement Fund

The overall goal of the program is to reduce the number of vehicles illegally passing school

buses while those buses are loading and unloading children The grants can be used for police

overtime to enforce the school bus safety laws or driver education activities such as broadcast or

print public service announcements To make the most of the finds available, funded agencies are

encouraged to form partnerships with other agencies and community groups

MSDE coordinated the February survey with school transportation directors in all 24 Maryland

school systems It is considered a snapshot of illegal activity on the roads More than 4,712

school bus drivers took part in the survey, representing 65 percent of the school bus drivers in the

State

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EDITORS: A list of the agencies receiving the awards and the amount for each is attached.

GOCCP is on social media You can find us on http://www.twitter.com/goccp and on Facebook as goccpmd.

300 E Joppa Road, Suite 1105 Baltimore, Maryland 21286-3016 410-821-2828 / TOLL FREE: 1-877-687-9004 FAX: 410-321-3116

INFO@GOCCP-STATE-MD.ORG WWW.GOCCP.MARYLAND.GOV

Martin O’Malley

Governor

Anthony Brown

Lt Governor

Kristen Mahoney

Executive Director

Contact: Bill Toohey Offc: 410-821-2851 Cell: 443-279-8661 btoohey@goccp.state.md.us For Immediate Release:

July 25, 2011

School Bus Safety Enforcement Grants

Kent County Board of County Commissioners $15,000

Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office $6,000

Washington County Board of Commissioners $13,000

Media Contact: Bill Toohey

Office: 410-271-2851

Cell: 443-279-8661

btoohey@goccp.state.md.us

GOCCP is on social media You can find us on http://www.twitter.com/goccp and on Facebook as goccpmd.