Nyssa Retter will do whatever it takes to keep her five children safe.
So when the 32-year-old mother took notice of cars speeding by her children’s stopped school bus going what she believed was about 60 mph, she said she had to act.
For the past two months, the Archer resident has been filming cars speeding past the bus stop on Southwest Archer Road as children boarded for school, she said.
The videos are now being used as evidence for county law enforcement to prove drivers are violating state statute 316.172, which states that drivers must come to “a full stop” when a school bus displays a stop signal.
Retter said she hopes she can raise awareness for the safety issue by filming the speeding cars.
“No matter how responsible my kids are, it’s not safe,” she said.
According to the statute, failing to stop for a school bus could cost drivers up to $200.
Deputy Drew Davis, a school resource deputy in Alachua County, has parked by the bus stop 11 times since Retter began filming, he said.
While Davis and other deputies have been stationed next to the bus stop, no drivers have violated the law, he said.
Alachua County Sheriff’s Office initiates Operation Bluebird every school year to remind the public to stop for loading school busses, Davis said.
Next year, Retter’s area will be a focus for increased safety measures, he said.
“The two seconds that you save when passing a bus is not worth a child’s life,” Davis said.
@chesnesmax
mchesnes@alligator.org
