Superintendent pulled over for passing stopped school bus

Caroline Glenn | Florida Today

Show Caption Hide Caption These school bus violators are flying by unpunished Cameras designed to catch drivers who fail to yield to school bus stop arms are not getting put to use. The cameras were installed in several buses over the past couple of years, but not a single person has been prosecuted.

MELBOURNE, Fla. — Police in the middle of a safety initiative pulled over the county school superintendent for failing to stop for a school bus.

Superintendent Desmond Blackburn of Brevard Public Schools was driving his district-issued SUV at about 8 a.m. ET Friday when he passed the stopped bus, according to spokeswoman Cheryl Trainer of the Melbourne Police Department. He was given a warning but not a ticket, which would have been a maximum fine of $274 and four penalty points on a driver's license.

"I want to thank Melbourne PD for getting out and supporting bus safety week," Blackburn said. He would not provide details of the incident. "I was one of the drivers that received a reminder."

If a driver passes the bus with its stop sign extended on the side where children enter and exit the bus, the driver is subject to a mandatory court hearing.

► Feb. 7: 7th-grader safely stops school bus after driver falls ill

► February 2016: Officials see 'epidemic' of motorists passing school buses

► October 2015: Elementary principal charged with passing stopped school bus

► April 2015: School bus cameras start to catch those who don't stop

► September 2013: Districts give school buses a security upgrade

Though states have differing laws, in general they require motorists to stop when a school bus' red flashing lights and stop arm are extended. Some districts equip their buses with cameras to catch scofflaws.

Some states do not allow drivers to pass buses about to let off students, indicated with flashing yellow lights. And some do not require a vehicle coming from the opposite direction to stop if the bus is on highway with a grassy median strip.

Follow Carolyn Glenn on Twitter: @bycarolineglenn

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