Mass. Drivers Warned To Stop For School Buses

Drivers across Massachusetts are being put on notice: Stop for school buses, or face the consequences.

About 125 police departments around the state are participating in "Operation Yellow Blitz," an undercover crackdown on motorists who violate the state law requiring them to stop for school buses that are picking up or dropping off students.

Massachusetts Registrar of Motor Vehicles Rachel Kaprielian says stopping for school buses has to be taken seriously.

"There is no excuse not to stop for a school bus," Kaprielian said, "because it is stopping for a reason, and we need to make sure that anyone getting on or off that bus is safely protected."

Violators face a minimum $250 fine. Repeat offenders could be fined up to $2,000 and lose their licenses.

The state program coincides with National School Bus Safety Week.

A similar crackdown resulted in 110 citations in Massachusetts last year.

Great Barrington Police Chief William Walsh tells the Berkshire Eagle that he has assigned a police officer to follow a school bus on its route and watch for any motorists who ignore the law.

With reporting by The Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom