News Outlet Renews Call to #Brake4Buses

WNCN reminds motorists about North Carolina’s law on stopping for school buses. A reporter confronts a stop-arm runner to ask why she did it.

Thomas McMahon・Executive Editor

August 31, 2016

News Outlet Renews Call to #Brake4Buses — *WNCN* ran a story reminding motorists about North Carolina’s law on stopping for school buses. Stock photo courtesy REI

2 min to read

WNCN ran a story reminding motorists about North Carolina’s law on stopping for school buses. Stock photo courtesy REI

RALEIGH, N.C. — With the start of a new school year, local news station WNCN has brought back its #Brake4Buses school bus safety campaign.

On Monday, the media outlet ran a story reminding motorists about North Carolina’s law on stopping for school buses that are loading or unloading students.

For the piece, a WNCN news crew staked out a school bus stop and then followed a driver who ran the bus’ stop arm. When the driver stopped, the reporter approached her to ask why she didn’t stop for the bus.

WNCNlaunched its #Brake4Buses campaign in 2014 after the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction reported that more than 3,000 motorists had illegally passed school buses in a one-day count.

The statewide count conducted this year again identified more than 3,000 stop-arm violations in one day. That was part of a national effort that tallied more than 74,000 violations.

In addition to public awareness efforts, North Carolina has taken other steps to bolster student safety at school bus stops, including the use of stop-arm cameras. Also, the state now requires all school bus drivers to use a hand signal to let students know when it is safe to cross the street in front of the bus.

In North Carolina, more than 13,000 school buses transport nearly 780,000 students to and from school each day. For more information on pupil transportation in the state, go to www.ncbussafety.org.

Watch WNCN’s latest #Brake4Buses piece below.

Topics:danger zone North Carolina stop arms stop-arm running/illegal passing Management Safety

More Safety

A close up detail of the back of a school bus with text reading "Insight From 10 Years of NHTSA Data."

Safety•by Elora Haynes•July 22, 2026

NHTSA Releases 10-Year Review of Fatal School Bus Crashes

The latest federal analysis reinforces the safety of school buses while identifying where school-age pedestrians and other motorists remain most at risk.

Safety•by Amanda Huggett•July 21, 2026

2026 NASDPTS Survey: Data Shows Further Reduction of Illegal Passing

New data is in! School bus stop-arm passings are down to 38.4 million violations per year, about a 2.3% decrease from last school year — but passings on the right side of the bus are higher than ever.

Safety•by Staff and News Reports•July 9, 2026

Another School Bus Fatality Reported in Monsey, New York

A 7-year-old girl died after being struck by a school bus in Rockland County, New York while crossing the street. Here's what we know.

School buses at NSTA's SBDISC Roadeo with text reading "School Bus Drivers Put Their Skills to the Test."

Safety•by Staff and News Reports•June 30, 2026

NSTA Announces 2026 School Bus Driver International Safety Competition Winners

Drivers from across the U.S. and Canada showcased their safety and driving skills, with two defending champions successfully retaining their titles.

The Driver Shortage Playbook

Driver shortages are still a major challenge for student transportation fleets, but the real issue has shifted. It’s no longer just about filling seats quickly. It’s about finding safe, reliable drivers who meet performance expectations and want to stay. The Driver Shortage Playbook covers why traditional recruitment tactics are falling short and how school fleets are adapting with smarter hiring, stronger retention strategies and a greater focus on driver quality.