Area students have begun heading back to school, and The Informer thought it wise to offer some reminders.

State law says traffic must halt within 30 feet of school buses that stop on undivided roads — that is, those without central medians, barriers or ditches — to pick up or drop off students.

“You do not have to stop when the bus is stopped in a loading zone completely off the roadway and where the pedestrians are not allowed to cross the roadway. …,” reads the state’s Class E driver’s guide, available online.

“Drivers must stop for a stopped school bus when traveling on four lane or five lane roadways which are not separated by any barriers. When you have stopped, you must not proceed until the bus moves again or the visual warning signals are no longer in use.”

Drivers can lose their licenses if they disregard the signals and fail to stop for school buses. Louisiana R.S. 32:80 authorizes school bus drivers to provide authorities with descriptions and license plate numbers of vehicles that flout the law.

“This notification shall be in writing on a form provided to the bus driver by the school board, shall be signed by the school bus driver, under penalty of criminal prosecution, in the presence of two witnesses, and it shall include the license plate number and color of the vehicle. …,” reads the statute.

“The appropriate authority may issue a citation to the owner or, in the case of a leased vehicle, the lessee of the vehicle involved, on the basis of this information.”

Also, take note of school zone locations, and remember it’s against the law to use a cellphone — hands-free devices excepted — when driving in school zones during the posted times.

The Informer noted a couple of weeks ago that R.S. 32:300.8 says that “no person shall operate any wireless telecommunications device while operating a motor vehicle upon any public road or highway during the posted hours within a school zone.”

Under the statute, the phrase “operating a wireless telecommunications device” encompasses engaging in calls; “writing, sending, or reading a text-based communication”; and “accessing, reading, or posting to a social networking site.”

For more information, www.expresslane.org; www.legis.la.gov.

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Reader, columnist express appreciation

A reader recently left The Informer a lovely voicemail: “Thank you, Andrew. I enjoy your column most of all in the American Press. It’s very informative, and I appreciate it.”

Thank you, ma’am. And you’re welcome.

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