Over 4,000 Drivers Cited for Passing School Buses in Lee County Since December

Over 4,000 drivers received tickets for not stopping when school buses turned on their stop arms, according to the School District of Lee County. This started in December when citations became official. Each ticket costs $225, and the Lee County Sheriff's Office checks every case before sending out citations.

Hanson Street in Fort Myers tops the list with 112 tickets. State Road 82 recorded 83 citations. Colonial Boulevard, Pondella Road, U.S. 41, State Road 739, and Homestead Road each saw about 60 violations.

Rob Spicker works with the School District of Lee County. He said roads with several lanes cause the most confusion. "Public misunderstanding is a big issue," Spicker said, according to Gulf Coast News. "On roads with multiple lanes, drivers may think that if they're in the left lane, they don't need to stop. But that's not the case."

Drivers must stop when buses flash their signals. The only exceptions are a raised barrier between lanes or at least five feet of unpaved space separating traffic.

Melissa Nigro lives in the county and has kids. Last month, she watched this problem unfold on Pondella Road. "I was the only car to stop in the opposite direction of where the bus was stopped, and there had to be 30-some cars that blew by me. I thought I was in the wrong," Nigro said.

Those who ignored the stop arm got tickets in the mail. "I think it's a pretty fair ticket," Nigro said.

The money goes toward student safety programs, bonuses to keep and attract bus drivers, and new bus cameras. About $160 from each citation gets split between several groups, including the sheriff's office and the BusPatrol program, which tracks violations. Spicker mentioned that some of the money is used for safety improvements and gives stipends to bus drivers.

The school district says 90% of drivers who got tickets never do it again. "I think it's wonderful," Nigro said. "It will make people do what they're supposed to do."