The Indiana State Police reminds drivers that all lanes of traffic must stop for an extended school bus stop arm unless there is a physical divider, like a median or curb.
One official in particular has taken ownership of improving school bus safety, leading the charge to educate drivers about how to safely share the road with school children.
Master Trooper Jim Zeser of the Indiana State Police has been patrolling the Elkhart County area since being assigned to the Bremen Post 17 years ago. He has watched business boom and congestion grow in the Dunlap area during the past 17 years.
“The schools and houses that are left in the area are caught in a sea of never-ending traffic,” he said.
Zeser patrols the county from his unmarked Mustang, which he said allows him to blend in with traffic and witness true driving behavior of the public.
At the start of the school year last fall, he noticed an increase in the number of school bus arm violations — most happening on the stretch of U.S. 33 near Dunlap.
Because U.S. 33 is divided by a turn lane near the major shopping complexes that line the road, Zeser found drivers thought they did not have to stop for school buses heading in the opposite direction.
That’s not true. Indiana law states all lanes in both directions must stop for a school bus arm, unless the highway is divided by a physical barrier such as a curb or a median.
Zeser started tackling the problem by writing tickets when he witnessed a violation, but he wanted to inform the public.
“Writing a single ticket for the violation educates one person, while setting the signs out can help educate the thousands of people who travel that road every day,” he said.
So he began a pursuit of informational signs, working with the Indiana Department of Transportation and Concord Community Schoolsofficials.
After a series of meetings, several exchanged emails and a site study, INDOT officials approved the placement of four educational signs on U.S. 33.
The signs, two northbound and two southbound between the U.S. 20 Bypass and C.R. 15, read: “All lanes stop when school bus stops.”
Lt. Chad Larsh, commander of the Bremen Post, commended Zeser for his professional but nontraditional approach to the issue.
“The state police always encourage their officers to think outside the box to solve problems and take ownership in the communities in which they live and patrol,” he said.
Concord Assistant Superintendent Tim Tahara said he has no doubt Zeser’s effort will help keep the district’s students safe on their way to and from school.
He said although Concord residents are generally mindful of the school buses and plan their commutes accordingly, the district does notice more problems after summer break. He said bus drivers have also reported an increase in distracted driving since cell phones became popular.
One official in particular has taken ownership of improving school bus safety, leading the charge to educate drivers about how to safely share the road with school children.
Master Trooper Jim Zeser of the Indiana State Police has been patrolling the Elkhart County area since being assigned to the Bremen Post 17 years ago. He has watched business boom and congestion grow in the Dunlap area during the past 17 years.
“The schools and houses that are left in the area are caught in a sea of never-ending traffic,” he said.
Zeser patrols the county from his unmarked Mustang, which he said allows him to blend in with traffic and witness true driving behavior of the public.
At the start of the school year last fall, he noticed an increase in the number of school bus arm violations — most happening on the stretch of U.S. 33 near Dunlap.
Because U.S. 33 is divided by a turn lane near the major shopping complexes that line the road, Zeser found drivers thought they did not have to stop for school buses heading in the opposite direction.
That’s not true. Indiana law states all lanes in both directions must stop for a school bus arm, unless the highway is divided by a physical barrier such as a curb or a median.
Zeser started tackling the problem by writing tickets when he witnessed a violation, but he wanted to inform the public.
“Writing a single ticket for the violation educates one person, while setting the signs out can help educate the thousands of people who travel that road every day,” he said.
So he began a pursuit of informational signs, working with the Indiana Department of Transportation and Concord Community Schoolsofficials.
After a series of meetings, several exchanged emails and a site study, INDOT officials approved the placement of four educational signs on U.S. 33.
The signs, two northbound and two southbound between the U.S. 20 Bypass and C.R. 15, read: “All lanes stop when school bus stops.”
Lt. Chad Larsh, commander of the Bremen Post, commended Zeser for his professional but nontraditional approach to the issue.
“The state police always encourage their officers to think outside the box to solve problems and take ownership in the communities in which they live and patrol,” he said.
Concord Assistant Superintendent Tim Tahara said he has no doubt Zeser’s effort will help keep the district’s students safe on their way to and from school.
He said although Concord residents are generally mindful of the school buses and plan their commutes accordingly, the district does notice more problems after summer break. He said bus drivers have also reported an increase in distracted driving since cell phones became popular.
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