CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As the school year for Kanawha County is just days away, county and local law enforcement officials, as well as Kanawha County Schools, want to remind the public about safety in school zones and around school buses.
Mike Rutherford, the Kanawha County Sheriff spoke while gathered around by over a dozen law enforcement and school officials and said citizens must obey the law.
“After about three months of school being out, people forget about the school zones and school buses. We want to bring a special emphasis to everybody that schools are returning and kids will be out there going to and from school,” the sheriff said Thursday morning at Metro 911.
Rutherford said there will be extra police officers positions in school zones around the time of arrival and dismissal to ensure the safety of pedestrians. He said for the first week of school, law enforcement and an ambulance will be at every school, as overtime work has been approved by the Kanawha County Commission.
Dr. Tom Williams, the Kanawha County Schools Superintendent expressed that law enforcement will not give warnings for the violation but tickets right away that could include points off of a driver’s license.
“15 miles per hour in a school zone and it usually has a flashing light before the zone and a flashing light when the zone ends. Stopped buses with their flashers on and safety arm out, that means you stop even on a four-lane road like MacCorkle Avenue,” Williams said.
He added that nothing is worth taking away a child’s life.
“Remember when a bus is stopped with the flashers on, please stop. The minute or two you save by going around the school bus is not worth a child’s life,” Williams said.
Kanawha County Schools’ students report to the classroom Aug. 22.