We have previously discussed the type of people who refuse to stop for school buses. I am not talking about the occasional mistake to see a stopped bus, but people who intentionally drive around buses and children so not to be delayed or inconvenienced. The video below shows just how thoughtless and dangerous these idiots can be as a driver of a SUV missing killing three children by inches after speeding through the space between the bus and the curb.
There is no other story on whether anyone was able to see the license plate of the SUV.
If found, it would be interesting to explore the range of criminal charges that might be imposed for such an act.
Adios
Oh my God. I know 3 sets of parents got gray hair watching this footage. Thank goodness the children weren’t hurt.
Why was the bus stopped so far from the curb that an SUV could squeeze through? Negligence on two parties IMO. I regularly come up behind school buses in my neighborhood, all with pop out stop signs on both sides, and none of them are that far from the curb. Here it is illegal to pass a school bus, period, with stop signs popped out, no matter how much space is available, on either side…there might be kids coming from the opposite side of the street as well.
That said, if the cops find this moron driver who squeezed through, may they thump him or her upside the head a bit before arresting.
Paul,
Here is the statute relating to school bus passing:
RCW 46.61.370
Overtaking or meeting school bus, exceptions — Duties of bus driver — Penalty — Safety cameras.
(1) The driver of a vehicle upon overtaking or meeting from either direction any school bus which has stopped on the roadway for the purpose of receiving or discharging any school children shall stop the vehicle before reaching such school bus when there is in operation on said school bus a visual signal as specified in RCW 46.37.190 and said driver shall not proceed until such school bus resumes motion or the visual signals are no longer activated.
You bring up an interesting aspect of this.
For the purpose of traffic law the right of way is considered part of the roadway–right of way being both the travelled portion and the unpaved section that is owned by either the state or the municipality. It also includes sidewalks or walkways.
Additionally, Reckless Endangerment is codified under the Washington Criminal Code (Title 9A RCW) and is not considered a traffic offense so it would apply in either case of whether traffic law has or has not applicability.
I would trust Darren Smith cared about civil liberties if nearly all his comments didn’t go towards suggesting someone should be locked up. That takes away liberty. And doesn’t stimulate rehabilitation.
This driver is certainly an “idiot”. He shouldn’t take his own life so serious that he is willing to put several others’ in danger.
When I do surveillance, I do little things to pass the time. One of the things I do is observe the people who pass by that are talking or texting on the phone. I don’t keep charts, but ~15-20% of people are distracted by their phone. Women are the worst offenders, about 65-35%. Young people are in the upper stanine of this risky behavior, being consistent w/ the recklessness of youth. As folks here have stated, phone distraction is probably a factor here.
If I have all the pictures together, the SUV was traveling off the road to pass the bus. I am not sure how that works. The rule is that you don’t pass the stopped school bus, but that is on the road way. They don’t say anything about traveling off the road to pass the bus.
The silver lining is maybe now those kids will be super cautious with the roadways, even when you’re supposed to be safe.
When my dad taught me to drive, here in NJ, he told me, “the motorists of NJ have killed, and they’re not afraid to kill again.” It’s true.
This is how whites riot.
Squeeky
I see this all the time but fortunately not involving school children. People on cell phones or simply ‘navigating’ life’s highways ‘all by themselves’. This is a graphic illustration of the ‘I’m alright, pull the ladder up.’ attitude. Typically it is a business man in a sedan wheeling and dealing, a housewife yacking on the cell phone to perhaps another idiot driving the same way, or a realtor. More often than not it is the woman on the cell phone sufficiently oblivious to driving conditions that takes a corner stop sign or red light without hardly slowing down or changes lanes abruptly without signaling. There is also the time of week. We live near the A1A which is a boulevard with a 45mph speed limit. Towards the end of the week the driving gets crazier and one is almost guaranteed to drive by an accident where someone rear ended another or came into traffic wrong. Typically those standing by their wrecked cars are women.
Male or female the driver of the SUV should be put through the ringer. I would insist on at least a six month course in how to drive safely along with substantial fines and perhaps some newspaper exposure. This attitude is probably in control in much of what the driver does in the rest of his or her life. This wasn’t a case of ‘cutting it fine’ but something indicative of a life perspective.
From the information I read and saw in the video I believe there is probable cause to arrest for Reckless Driving and three counts of Reckless Endangerment. Reckless endangerment can be charged in addition to reckless driving according to WA case law.
Here are the statutes:
RCW 46.61.500
Reckless driving — Penalty.
(1) Any person who drives any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving. Violation of the provisions of this section is a gross misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to three hundred sixty-four days and by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars
RCW 9A.36.050
Reckless endangerment.
(1) A person is guilty of reckless endangerment when he or she recklessly engages in conduct not amounting to drive-by shooting but that creates a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to another person.
(2) Reckless endangerment is a gross misdemeanor.
This goes beyond just a simple improper passing of a school bus. The driver reportedly went off the roadway to drive around the bus, passed several cars behind the bus, and was traveling around forty five miles per hour. It shows clear willfulness and reckless disregard for the lives of the children.
Had one of the children been struck and suffered serious bodily injury it would constitute vehicular assault or vehicular homicide. I read that one of the children actually felt one of the tires just brush her shoe.
Here is the view from the rear looking back from where the bus was stopped. The SUV came in the direction toward the camera.
I am confident Pierce County will work hard to apprehend this driver.
In the noble pursuit of justice, get this guy!!!
I am betting the driver is male, and either a spoiled rotten teen, or a narcissistic type A 35ish year old man.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
I think the driver missed the curb, not the curve. Yes, dangerous and stupid.