WASHINGTON – While the number of statewide violations are down, scores of drivers are still passing school buses, breaking a law and putting children at risk on Maryland roads.

According to a recent study cited in The Washington Post, on a single day, school bus drivers in Maryland spotted more than 3,000 people who disregarded the rule and passed the bus along with its stop arm and flashing lights.

In Montgomery County, it happened more than 1,000 times, according to the study.

Statewide violations have decreased by about 50 percent over the past three years, but the figures are troubling for parents, school officials and elected leaders.

Bill Reinhard, spokesman for the State Department of Education tells the Post, “Every violation is a potential fatality.”

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