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Drivers and parents urge city and district action after repeated drivers run school-van stop signals
Summary
A long-time van driver and other residents asked the committee to push the mayor and police to enforce laws and consider cameras, bigger stop signs or other engineering solutions after multiple incidents of vehicles passing stopped school vans.
During public comment the committee heard detailed complaints from a district van driver and parents about drivers passing stopped school vans and failing to treat school vans as buses, a problem speakers said endangers students, especially those with special needs.
A van driver, identifying herself as a long-serving employee, described multiple near-misses at student stops and said that Providence-area jurisdictions have adopted cameras and additional stop‑arm enforcement technology; she urged the district and city to pursue cameras, larger roof-mounted stop signs or other countermeasures. She cited national and out-of-state incidents where children were injured or killed after being struck while boarding or exiting school transportation.
Committee members agreed the safety concern is urgent and recommended next steps that include discussing the issue with the mayor and police chief, presenting the matter to City Council and exploring targeted enforcement or engineering fixes at high‑risk stops. Committee members said school‑department staff could provide a list of routes and specific trouble spots to help coordinate enforcement and recommended considering wider outreach to city leadership and public safety officials.
No committee action was taken at the meeting; members asked administration to follow up and said they would support work with the mayor's office and police to examine cameras, enforcement presence and other interventions.
