GRETNA, Louisiana — Kids are back in the classroom and with school back, school zones are in full swing. Law enforcement warns drivers will be ticketed if caught disobeying school zone rules.
Students are back in seats in their new year classroom for this new school year, which means school zones are back in effect. Gretna Deputy Chief of Police Jason DiMarco says drivers need to watch their speed when driving through a school zone. He said, "Think about morally how you'd feel if one of those kids bolted in the wrong direction... We'd like to see all kids grow up to be adults and not have an incident at a school."
He went on to say, "I don't think people realize every time you increase your speed it takes longer to stop the automobile. So those school zones are set there for a reason, most of them at 20 miles per hour."
He says there should be no overtaking in a school zone, saying, "For the school bus, when they put those signs out for a reason, and we all need to come to a full and complete stop. Because you have children getting on and off that bus."
Deputy Chief DiMarco says the department has issued just over 20 speeding tickets, and several warnings since the start of the school year.
If it's a two-lane road drivers in both lanes need to stop when they see a bus extend the stop sign.
Three lanes: When the highway has a center turning lane with one travel lane on each side, vehicles traveling in each direction are required to stop when the bus' red lights are flashing.
Four lanes: Vehicles traveling in each direction are required to stop when the bus' red lights are flashing.
Divided highway: When the highway has a grass median or other physical barrier, only traffic moving in the same direction as the bus is required to stop when the bus' red lights are flashing. Oncoming traffic should proceed with caution.
Divided highway with a center turning lane: When the highway has a center turning lawn with two travel lanes on each side, only traffic moving in the same direction as the bus is required to stop when the bus' red lights are flashing. Oncoming traffic should proceed with caution.
Deputy Chief DiMarco says, "You shouldn't be passing a school bus even if the kids are going in on the right, still a violation of law."
Officer Reese Harper with New Orleans Police urges drivers to stay vigilant during morning drop off and afternoon pick-ups. Officer Harper said, "Expect delays during school, zones as motorists will be traveling at a reduced rate of speed... We want them to allow 15 minutes on the front end and 15 minutes on the back end while traveling through school zones."
Police on both sides of the river warn drivers caught disobeying the law when traveling through school schools could be ticketed.
Officer Harper said, "The traffic section will be out enforcing school zone laws as well as radar monitoring."
The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services conducted a survey in which approximately 26.4 percent of the nation’s school bus drivers participated in. The survey of 98,065 school bus drivers reported that 66,322 vehicles passed their buses illegally on a single day during the 2023-2024 school year.