From the Sheriff's Desk

Sheriff Steve Page

As school starts up this month, Sheriff Steve Page wants to stress the importance of the children’s safety. One of the biggest concerns for that safety is on the road. In the month of August already, a few residents in the county have been caught speeding past buses when the buses are braking, or even worse, when the stop sign is raised. Sheriff Page says this is unacceptable.

“You need to respect those buses because you never know how many kids are getting off it or where they’re going,” says the Sheriff. “You might hit one. When the brake lights are on, you do not pass them. Not even just the stop sign, brake lights, too. You do not pass that bus.”

On top of the issues with drivers trying to pass up buses while they are picking up or dropping off kids, traffic in school zones has already seen some hassle this year as well. School zones will always have reduced speed limits, especially when it is within operating hours. Despite this, there have already been drivers caught speeding by the school zones well over the limit.

“Everybody needs to ride that speed limit because we will give you a ticket,” says Sheriff Page. “If you are flying through that school zone, you will get a citation, not a warning. Please respect school traffic and our school buses.”

Sheriff Page says White County Sheriff’s Office is committed to keeping the schools safe by continuing to monitor both school zones during hours, as well as assuring kids are well and safe each time they step off the bus.