East Central Reporter

State Representative Adam Niemerg highlighted the need for parents and students to review bus safety information, specifically "the rules for passing a school bus." He made the statement in an Aug. 15 Facebook post.

"The most dangerous part of the school bus ride for students is getting on and off the bus," said Adam M Niemerg, State Representative for 102nd District (R), according to Facebook. "Please take some time this back-to-school season to brush up on the rules for passing a school bus and help us keep our kids safe this school year!"

In his Facebook post, Niemerg shared a link to a blog post from the Illinois House Republican Caucus that pointed out children are at the greatest risk of injury when they are getting on and off of the school bus. The blog post discusses school bus laws, which apply to all drivers.

Screenshot of Rep. Adam Niemerg's Aug. 15 Facebook post | State Representative Adam Niemerg's Facebook page

According to the blog post, drivers can continue moving after they have stopped for a bus when the bus starts moving again, the bus driver signals to the motorist to proceed, or the flashing lights are off and the stop arm is not extended. The caucus blog also included a link to a YouTube video that showed diagrams explaining what should happen on two-lane roads when cars approach school buses from the opposite lane and from behind. It points out that vehicles must stop 20 feet before they reach the bus to give students space to cross. The video also shows scenarios for a four-lane road, indicating that only vehicles in the two lanes moving in the same direction as the bus must stop 20 feet before reaching it.

In an Aug. 12 report from WIFR, AAA reported that it is not uncommon for drivers to move around school buses at inappropriate times. According to a survey of drivers, 18% of respondents admit to driving around a school bus while its stop sign is extended. "Get ready for heavier traffic than normal, especially at first, since a lot of parents like to drive their kids to campus during the first few days back," said Molly Hart, spokeswoman for AAA, in the WIFR report. She added: "It would be a good idea to budget an extra half hour for your morning commute because drivers who are running late are more likely to speed and take unnecessary risks while behind the wheel. That endangers everyone on the roadway."

Niemerg was first elected in 2020. He calls himself a "fiscal conservative focused on reducing taxes and fighting for limited government and pension reform," according to his official biography. He is a senior claims adjuster with Country Financial and holds a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University.