O
fficials with the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office are reminding drivers to stay safe as children throughout the county head back to school this week.
Deputies and county officials held a press conference at DuPont Middle School on Tuesday, encouraging the public to be cautious when on the roadways.
Motorists are reminded to pay attention to stopped buses, especially when buses are loading or unloading students.
"Never pass a school bus with its warning lights on and stop arm out," deputies said. "That applies to drivers on both sides of the road."
Officials said there will be extra patrols on the roads in the first few weeks of school. Drivers who violate school bus safety rules will be fined, they said.
"The safety of our kids is the top priority," officials said in a statement. "An extra few minutes of a commute to work is not worth risking the safety of kids just trying to get to and from school."
Students in Kanawha County Schools return to the classroom beginning Friday, Aug. 14.
