Radnor police and school officials are working together to create a bus safety video

RADNOR – Radnor police and the school district have teamed up to create an educational video highlighting school bus safety.

“The video is intended to alert the public that passing a stopped school bus while children are boarding or exiting is not only dangerous, but also illegal,” the school district said in a news release.

The collaborative video was released as part of the 28th annual Operation Safe Stop.

Operation Safe Stop is a program that partners law enforcement with school transportation providers, student transportation associations and PennDOT to alert the public to potential consequences and reduce the occurrence of illegal school bus passes.

The program outlined the law governing how and when drivers must stop for school buses on PennDOT's website.

“Pennsylvania’s school bus stopping law requires motorists to stop at least 10 feet from school buses that have their red lights flashing and the stop arm activated,” PennDOT’s website states. “Motorists must stop when they are behind the bus, meet it or approach an intersection where a bus is stopped. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights stop flashing, the stop arm is retracted and all children have reached safety. When physical barriers such as grassy medians, guardrails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, drivers in the oncoming lanes can continue driving without stopping.”

In the video, available on the school district's YouTube page and Instagram, School District Superintendent Ken Batchelor and Radnor Police Chief Chris Flanagan discuss bus safety issues.

“You know, Superintendent Flanagan, there are many important lessons we teach in schools, but one of the most important is bus safety,” Batchelor said in the video.

“That’s right, Superintendent Batchelor. It's not just about following the law. “It’s about saving lives and protecting our children,” Flanagan responded.

The two continue to discuss the need to stop when the bus's lights are on, the stop sign is down, and the front arm is down.

“Even four-lane highways like Lancaster Avenue can be difficult,” Flanagan said. “People need to know that drivers in the opposite lane also need to be prepared to stop.”