PRESS RELEASE
July 29, 2021
DEPUTY DAVID MOYER
TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAM MANAGER
(540) 928-2260
DMOYER@BOTETOURTVA.GOV
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE--
SHERIFF’S OFFICE ANNOUNCES “SCHOOLS OPEN CAMPAIGN”
FINCASTLE, VA – Botetourt County Public School students will be returning to school on Wednesday, August 11th. The Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office has announced its “Schools Open Campaign” to ensure the safest possible traffic environment in and around our school zones.
The “Schools Open Campaign” is a part of the Be Safe Botetourt Traffic Safety Program focused on increasing traffic safety awareness. With public schools reopening, the Sheriff’s Office is raising awareness that soon children and busses will again be present on our highways. The purpose of this effort is to educate motorists on the laws pertaining to stopped school busses, pedestrians and speeding in school zones.
The Sheriff’s Office will begin posting educational material on social media platforms reminding motorists to obey current laws, outlining enhanced penalties for violations in school zones and the passing of a stopped and unloading school bus.
“As Sheriff it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of our children and loved ones while providing support to our school system”, said Sheriff Matt Ward, we take that responsibility seriously”.
On August 11, 2021, the Sheriff’s Office, funded through a partnership with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles will deploy extra deputies and School Resource Officers to perform high visibility enforcement in our school zones and to encourage safe driving behavior. This includes enforcement of the speed limit in school zones.
The Sheriff’s Office would also like to remind citizens of the fact that many of the county’s buses are equipped with video cameras that will capture violators passing the bus once the red lights have been activated. We will work with the school division and its drivers to investigate and prosecute all such violations.
Please join us in our efforts in keeping our children safe this new school year.
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