How is it possible that drivers still can’t understand what the flashing red lights on a school bus mean?

State officials last week released the results of Operation Safe Stop, a yearly effort to make sure drivers are driving safely around school buses. Kara Templeton, state Department of Transportation deputy secretary for driver and vehicle services, said convictions for driving past school bus stop arms in Pennsylvania increased 47% in 2022 while law enforcement and bus drivers witnessed 164 incidents in just one day during Oct. 18’s Operation Safe Stop. The comments come after Erie News Now reported a 7-year-old girl was hit while boarding a school bus in Crawford County last week.

“The tragic fact is that too often drivers ignore the warning lights on school buses and try to pass them, which puts our children in jeopardy,” Templeton said. “This is simply not acceptable.”

Drivers’ unwillingness to drive with proper caution around school buses is good enough reason for the state Legislature to reauthorize support for cameras used on school bus stop arms to fine motorists who ignore stop arms on school buses.