DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Dearborn and Dearborn Heights residents say drivers continuously fail to stop for school buses as children are getting on and off, and they fear someone is going to get hurt if something doesn't change.
Stacey Wood's 13-year-old daughter, Jordan Wood, attends Howe Montessori School in Dearborn Heights, which is part of the Dearborn Public School District.
Jordan has Rett syndrome and is wheelchair bound. Stacey Wood says she has lost track of the amount of times drivers have not stopped for her daughter getting on and off the bus at her home near Joy Road and Ann Arbor Trail.
"Almost daily," Stacey Wood said. “They don’t care. The majority of them just blow right past (the bus)."
Watch surveillance video of cars failing to stop in the video player below:
In July, the same area was seeing an elevated number of people not stopping for stop signs as well. Dearborn Heights Police responded by adding extra patrols to the area and within a few days cited 15 drivers for stop sign violations in the area and three for driving with a suspended or revoked license.
They also made a traffic stop, which resulted in a driver being arrested for carrying a concealed firearm in their vehicle.
Stacey Wood is happy police responded to the offenders at the stop signs. Now, she wants drivers to think about the children as the school year gets underway.
“It could be your kid," she said. “It’s very frustrating because I just want all the kids to be safe.”
Judy Mytty is a retired Dearborn Public Schools employee and has grandchildren that take the bus. She has seen the problem get worse over the years and hopes more people pay attention to the rules of the road.
“Everybody’s in too much of a hurry now a days," she said.
Dearborn Heights police are shocked at the amount of violations and are reminding drivers that cars on both sides of traffic have to stop for a stopped school bus. This school year already, they've stopped cars driving recklessly in school zones and around students.
“Honestly, it blows my mind. It’s five to 10 seconds of your life to wait for these school buses," Dearborn Heights Police Officer Serkoat Kokoiy said. “The fine could be between 100 to 500 dollars. It’s just not worth it.”
Police also remind residents to follow the rules of a crossing guard. Failure to do so can result in a misdemeanor.
“Our kids are the most important thing in this city," Kokoiy said.
