LIDAR Operation Yields 20 Citations, Including School Bus Law Violation

SAN ANGELO, TX-- Yesterday morning, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., the San Angelo Police Department’s Traffic Section conducted LIDAR Traffic Enforcement in the westbound lanes of the 4100 block of West Houston Harte.  

A total of twenty (20) citations and one (1) warning were issued. The highest speed recorded was 94 MPH.

Just before 8:00 a.m., the Traffic Section conducted a “Passing School Bus” Traffic Enforcement Operation utilizing LIDAR along routes for Fannin Elementary and Lincoln Junior High.  Only one (1) violation was observed along the route. A citation was issued.

In the afternoon, officers resumed their traffic enforcement operation on buses along routes for Lamar Elementary and Glenn Middle School.   Only one (1) violation was observed along the route. A citation was issued.

The San Angelo Police Department wants to remind citizens about the state’s school bus law.  More than a million children and teens depend on buses to get them safely to and from the more than 9,000 Texas schools every day.  They also depend on motorists to know the law and drive safely around school buses.

Texas School Bus Law:

• Stop for flashing red lights on a school bus, regardless of which direction you're headed.
• Continue your trip once the bus has moved, the flashing lights stop flashing or the bus driver signals it's okay to pass.
• Violations can lead to a $1,000 fine.    

Safety Tips for Motorists

• Obey the posted speed limit.
• Fines double in school zones.
• Keep an eye on children gathered at bus stops.
• Watch for children who might dart across the street to catch the bus.