School has been back in session for several weeks now and area police and school bus drivers are noticing a disturbing driving practice.  Motorists are passing stopped school buses picking up and dropping off kids.  In Connecticut, drivers face a $465 fine for illegally passing a school bus. 

The problem is also happening in New York.  Carmel bus driver Paula Nazzaro says they put on their flashing lights well in advance of stopping.

Nazzaro says it happens on school grounds too.  She says rarely is it teens who violate that law, it's mostly experienced drivers committing the traffic violation.

The Newstimes reports that in New Milford, 442 tickets have been issued by police since Spring, with a majority on Danbury Road.  Some All-Star transportation buses have exterior cameras that record passing vehicles, and the images are shared with police.  New Milford Police Chief Shawn Boyle said that he wants to meet with the state Department of Transportation about a grant for patrols.

All-Star terminal manager Jeff Woods said in the published report that some people don’t realize drivers have to stop in all four lanes of a four-lane road like Danbury Road, but most of it in his opinion is people ignoring the rules.