Michigan police will increase patrols Oct. 19-23 to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses and endanger students boarding or leaving them.

The statewide “Operation Safe Stop” campaign will coincide with National School Bus Safety Week, according to a community announcement. Participating police agencies will coordinate with local school districts on enforcement and community education.

Officers will focus on drivers who disregard a school bus’ flashing red lights and extended stop-arm while students are being picked up or dropped off.

The campaign follows two near misses involving Michigan students. In May, an 11-year-old Milan Area School District student was nearly struck after a vehicle passed a stopped bus on a Washtenaw County school route. The child was not injured but was badly shaken.

In September, a vehicle passed a Bedford Township school bus on the right while its red lights and stop-arm were activated. The vehicle, driven by a 19-year-old, missed an elementary student by inches and left without stopping.

Michigan school bus crashes increased 14%

Michigan recorded 1,189 crashes involving school buses in 2025, according to the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center. That was a 14% increase from 1,044 crashes in 2024, according to the announcement.

Eighty-two of the 2025 crashes occurred at school bus stops while bus lights and stop-arms were activated. No fatalities were reported, but 35 injuries were recorded.

A one-day survey of 1,738 Michigan school bus drivers in May documented 950 instances of motorists illegally passing school buses.

“Drivers have an obligation to know and obey the laws regarding when to stop for a school bus,” Alicia Sledge, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, said in the announcement. “Ensuring our students are safe during loading and unloading must be a priority for everyone.”

“Every time drivers ignore the flashing lights or stop-arm of a school bus, they are putting a student’s life in danger,” Kellie Dean, CEO of Dean Transportation, said in the announcement. “‘Operation Safe Stop’ will help keep students safe and will educate drivers on how to safely share the road with buses.”

When Michigan drivers must stop for school buses

Drivers should prepare to stop when a school bus displays overhead flashing yellow lights. When the overhead lights flash red, drivers must stop at least 20 feet from the bus.

Passing a stopped school bus can result in a civil infraction and a fine of up to $500. A driver who passes a stopped school bus and causes an injury can face a misdemeanor charge, a fine of up to $1,000, up to one year in jail or both.

A driver who passes a stopped school bus and causes a death can face a felony charge, a fine of up to $7,500, up to 15 years in prison or both.

Police agencies participating in Operation Safe Stop

The participating-agency list includes local departments and sheriff’s offices in Allegan, Calhoun, Clinton, Eton, Genesee, Ingham, Livingston, Macomb, Marquette, Muskegon, Oakland, Ottawa, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. It also identifies posts in the Michigan State Police Fifth and Seventh districts.

Participating Washtenaw County agencies are the Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Milan, Northfield Township, Pittsfield Township, Saline, University of Michigan and Ypsilanti police departments and the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office.

Wayne County participants include police departments in Canton Township, Dearborn Heights, Dearborn, Detroit, Huron Township, Inkster, Lincoln Park, Livonia, Plymouth Township, Rockwood, Southgate, Taylor, Trenton, Westland, Woodhaven and Wyandotte, along with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.

“Operation Safe Stop” is a partnership involving the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, Dean Transportation and the Michigan Association of Pupil Transportation.

More information about the enforcement campaign and school bus safety is available at Michigan.gov.

This story was produced with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Illegal school bus passing draws Michigan crackdown

Reporting by Janis Reeser, The Monroe News / The Monroe News

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