FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – As the summer break comes to an end and students head back to school, the Indiana State Police (ISP) is reminding all motorist to be focused on traffic safety during morning and afternoon commutes.

Motorists should be prepared to experience an increased amount of school bus traffic and children walking to and from the bus stop and schools during the early morning and mid-afternoon hours, ISP said. Motorists are asked to plan their commutes accordingly.

ISP said special attention should also be given to the posted reduced School Zone speed limits as well as school buses which regularly stopping or standing to load or unload students.

“Children are often unpredictable and may dart out in front of vehicular traffic unexpectedly!” ISP said.

Indiana traffic law requires motorists to the operate in a safe and responsible manner when approaching a stopped or standing school bus according to the following rules:

• When approaching a school bus from any direction, which is stopped and has its red lights flashing and stop arm extended, motorists are required to stop, even on multiple lane highways where there is no barrier or median separating lanes of traffic.
• Motorists on a highway that is divided by a barrier, such as cable barrier, concrete wall, or grassy median, are required to stop only if they are traveling in the same direction as the school bus.
• Always be prepared to stop for a school bus and watch for children. Children are unpredictable. Not only is disregarding a school bus stop arm dangerous, it is a serious offense.

“The Indiana State Police is committed to the safety of our children by keeping Indiana’s roadways safer through education and enforcement patrols.  Please join us by doing your part to make travel on our Indiana roadways safer for all Hoosier students throughout the school year,” ISP said.