Operation Stop Arm aims to keep children safe
Thousands of people every day don't stop when they see a stopped school bus with the stop arm, which can be deadly for kids.
That is why the State Highway Patrol and Department of Public Instruction announced Operation Stop Arm at the North Carolina State Fair on Friday.
The operation starts Monday at 6 a.m. and goes through next Friday.
Troopers will be aggressively enforcing traffic laws around school zones - like sticking to the speed limit and avoiding distracted driving.
The focus, however, is on stop arms. The main message - if you see a stopped school bus with a stop arm out, don't think you can just pass it.
"That's a foolhardy behavior," said Ben Matthews with Public Schools of NC. "Think how you'd feel if you ran over a child."
If you violate these traffic laws in school zones, you can get cited with a misdemeanor or felony.
