School Bus Zone Traffic Campaign: McHeny Co. Results

MCC:Most school-aged children take to McHenry County’s roads everyday as they travel to school, whether by bus or traveling by car. 25-million American students begin and end their day on a school bus and nearly two-thirds of school bus fatalities involve a child outside the school bus.

Furthermore, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States,
totaling 2,247 teens lost during 2017. In an effort to emphasize safety and make McHenry County’s roadways safer for school aged children, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit participated in the National Teen Driver Safety Week and School Bus Safety Week, which both took place during the week of October 21st. During the week, Traffic Unit Members conducted targeted enforcement efforts within areas known to be high-crash locations frequented by teen drivers, as well as areas where the public and school districts have encountered motorists unlawfully passing stopped school busses.

In total, the Traffic Unit issued 29 citations and 8 warnings for speeding, 7 citations and 1 warning for cell phone use, 1 citation for seatbelt use, and 9 citations and 1 warning for other violations. They also apprehended one fugitive. The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office encourages parents to demonstrate safe driving habits for their children and teens and to use caution when driving near stopped school busses.