With today being the start of the new North Royalton School year, school is now officially in session, and so is the daily commute of students around the city on school buses. The North Royalton Police Department wants to remind motorists to keep this in mind and act accordingly regarding the laws about stopping around school buses.
According to the laws of the state of Ohio, when approaching a school bus that is in the process of dropping off children:
– Drivers approaching a school bus in any direction must stop at least ten feet from the front or rear of the school bus. That goes for drivers who are facing the bus, or behind the bus. They cannot proceed until the school bus resumes motion or the school bus driver motions for the driver to proceed.
– When a highway has four or more lanes, a driver approaching from the opposite direction of the school bus does not need to stop. However, those driving in the same direction as the school bus must stop.
According to North Royalton Police Chief, Keith Tarase, there was one school bus violation issued during the 2025-26 school year. That is down from 11 violations issued during the 2023-24 school year and 29 violations for the 2022-2023 school year. Previously, the number of violations had been increasing over the years. Because of that increase at that time, the North Royalton City Council adopted legislation that increased the fine from $500 to $1,000, for those who fail to stop; and also adopted legislation that makes the offense a first-degree misdemeanor.
North Royalton’s codified ordinance states that those who violate “may be fined an amount not to exceed $1,000″ and has now been replaced with “is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree as defined in the Ohio Revised Code and shall be sentenced according to the provisions of NRCO Section 698.02 and subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 and a term of incarceration of not more than 180 days.
“Keeping our students safe is a responsibility our entire community shares,” said North Royalton City Schools Superintendent, Jeff Cicerchi. “Every day, our dedicated bus drivers safely transport our children, while our strong partnership with the North Royalton Police Department helps keep our school zones secure. When we all stay alert and mindful around school buses, we ensure our students arrive at school and return home safely every single day.”
By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer
