Tennessee Highway Patrol Troopers across the state will be riding school buses during National School Bus Safety Week, October 22 ? 26, 2007. They will be looking for drivers who are breaking the law and not stopping when a school bus activates its red flashing lights and stop signal arm.

Nearly 600,000 children in Tennessee ride a school bus to and from school everyday. Although drivers are required to stop for a school bus when it is stopped to load or unload passengers, many do not, and children should not rely on them to do so. That is why this year?s theme for National School Bus Safety Week is ?Be Aware! Cross with Care.?

Troopers have written a total of 1,197 citations to drivers since August 1, 2007, as part of THP?s Safe Schools Enforcement Campaign. More than 300 of those drivers were ticketed for speeding in a school zone. Last year, Troopers issued nearly 6,500 citations in school zones across the state.

?Our school bus drivers are doing a great job keeping children safe, but they need the help of other motorists,? said Colonel Mike Walker. ?Our goal is to make sure children get to school and back home safely. That?s why Troopers enforce traffic laws, train school bus drivers and inspect buses.?

More than 11-thousand school bus drivers were trained last year by the Department of Safety. Troopers also inspected 9,988 school buses.

The THP plans to increase its presence in school zones throughout the state during School Bus Safety Week. In some counties, Troopers will ride buses, as well as follow school buses in marked patrol units, looking for drivers who ignore the red flashing lights and pass school buses that are stopped to load or unload children.