Today kicks off National School Bus Safety Week and a local driver is raising awareness with help from area law enforcement authorities.

Shirley Myers, who drives a handicap van for students in the Reynolds School District for Anderson Coach & Travel, Sugar Grove Township, said the week focuses on state school bus laws because many motorists don’t know they exist or simply don’t follow them.

“Some people are not aware of the laws,” she said.

She hasn’t had any accidents while transporting students, but always has to be on the lookout for careless drivers when picking up and dropping off the children.

“The safety of the kids is the primary issue,” Mrs. Myers said.

The most common problem she’s seen is motorists passing stopped school buses while students are getting off or on.

While school bus routes are created so that children don’t have to cross in front of the bus, there are some areas where that can’t be avoided, she said.

It’s hard for motorists waiting behind the bus to see the child crossing the street, hence the law that says you can’t pass a stopped school bus.

Mrs. Myers contacted police in northern Mercer County to increase their patrols of bus stops on Wednesday, which has been designated as Operation Safe Stop.

Greenville-West Salem Township, Pymatuning Township and state police will be out and about that morning and afternoon, keeping an eye on certain bus stops in high-traffic areas, she said.

“They’ll be more visible in those areas,” she said, adding they were very willing and eager to help out.

Some of those spots include: Edgewood Drive between North Hermitage Road and Crestview Drive, and the area of 3745 N. Hermitage near Bassick Road, both Pymatuning Township; Orangeville Road and North Hermitage and Colt roads, both West Salem Township; and Mercer Road between Kidds Mill and Oniontown roads, Delaware Township.

According to information on the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles Web site, motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have flashing red lights and the stop arm extended.

If physical barriers like grassy or concrete medians or guide rails separate oncoming traffic from a stopped bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may continue without stopping.

For more information, visit www.dmv.state.pa.us/fact_sheets/operation_safestop.shtml