'Slow Down!' | A reminder for drivers, you must stop when school bus stop signs are out

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — It's that time of year, kids are packing up up their bookbags and heading back to school. This means drivers need to be extra alert.

Jose Cedeno told WUSA9 he's entering his seventh year as a bus driver for Fairfax County Schools and the kids on his bus are like family.

"I've had the same route for five years, so I've seen them go from first grade to sixth grade and then middle school kids from middle school to high school," said Cedeno.

His priority is keeping those kids safe. He told WUSA9 Friday night that the biggest obstacle he faces are other drivers.

"Other drivers, because no one wants to be behind the bus, they do everything they can to get in front of the bus," said Cedeno.

"Just alone in Mount Vernon there's 13 elementary schools, two high schools and two middle schools," says Fairfax County 2nd Lt. Monica Meeks.

She says this is why drivers need to slow down, especially in school zones.

"If [drivers] need to suddenly stop because a child might dart out into the roadway they will be more equipped to stop," said 2nd Lt. Meeks. Adding, "[Kids] are walking, they are young they don't always understand the rules of the road like drivers are supposed to."

She told WUSA9 that FCPD will be out making sure drivers are obeying the laws, both when it comes to school zone speed limits, and stopping for bus stop signs.

"If someone passes a stopped school bus it could be considered reckless driving and potentially a class one misdemeanor which is punishable by up to one year in jail," she said.

The only exception, is if you're on the opposite side of the road and separated by a median, otherwise both directions of traffic must stop when buses are letting kids on or off the bus.

Drivers who exceed the speed limit by 10 mph or more will be fined based on an escalating fine structure that maxes out at $100.

School Zone Speed Cameras:

Plans are in the works to also install a school zone speed camera near Oakton High School (Blake Lane near Sutton Road) and a work zone speed camera at Route 28 (near Old Mill Road).

Speeding, not stopping for stop signs on buses all have consequences, the worst being you could take someone's life.

"The reality of it is if you kill a child not only do you have to live with that the rest of your life but you've now devastated a family and a community," she said.