PARKERSBURG - A police school bus ride-along resulted in no local citations, but officials say people ignoring school bus lights and putting students in danger continues to be a problem.
Last week the West Virginia Department of Education said state troopers boarded school buses on select routes in nine counties, including Wood County, during the week of Oct. 22-26, the second such ride-along in six months. Schools superintendent Jorea Marple said some troopers witnessed multiple violations while others didn't see any. Police issued seven citations and one warning ticket.
Locally no citations were issued as part of the ride-along.
"We didn't have any citations on that day," said Richard Lance, director of transportation for Wood County Schools. "There were no incidents of anyone running the bus lights that day.
"The next day, with the very same bus we had somebody on, he got his lights ran three times."
Lance said student safety while getting on and off of school buses remains a top concern for the school system, and drivers continue to put children's lives in danger.
"It's just so difficult, the police can't be there all the time," he said.
The safety sweep was announced the same day an 8-year-old girl suffered a broken leg and foot when she was struck by a motorist after getting off the school bus in Summersville.
Troopers issued five tickets during a similar weeklong crackdown in May.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
