Toms River woman facing charges for nearly hitting Lakewood girl getting off the bus
Lakewood Police have charged a Toms River woman with reckless driving and improper passing of a school bus after she nearly struck a little girl getting off the bus November 26.
Home surveillance video captured 47-year old Mariluz Diaz narrowly miss the girl in his Nissan wagon while passing the school bus in a video posted by the Lakewood Scoop,
Police say that the bus driver did activate the flashing red stop lights and safety arm as is required by law.
Further investigation by Traffic Safety Officer Alex Guzman resulted in the identification of Diaz as the operator of the 2012 Nissan.
Diaz has since received motor vehicle summonses for Improper Passing of a School Bus and Reckless Driving.
She is expected to be in court later next month.
The school bus safety law requires drivers to abide by specific rules in order to keep everyone safe.
1) On a two-lane highway, or other road not divided by some type of physical barrier, stop at least 25 feet from a stopped school bus with flashing red lights whether or not you are traveling in the same direction as the bus.
2) Stop at least 25 feet from a stopped school bus with flashing red lights if you are on a divided highway and on the same side of the highway as the school bus.Remain stopped until all students are safely on the bus or on the side of the highway, and until the bus’s flashing red lights have been turned off.
3) Vehicles approaching a stopped school bus – but from the opposite side of a divided highway – that is picking up or letting off students may pass at 10 mph or less and must remain at that speed until completely past the stopped school bus.
4) Travel no faster than 10 mph by a stopped school bus that is picking up or letting off students directly at a school (or day camp or any school-related activity) located on the same side of the highway where the school bus is stopped.
5) School bus drivers are required to use flashing red lights when their bus is stopped to pick up or drop off students, and until every student is safely on the bus or clear of the bus and highway.
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