The Orland Park Police Department is observing two public safety initiatives during the month of May.

“Cop On A Bus” has patrol officers riding school buses to watch for vehicles passing school buses when the stop arms are out and the stop lights are flashing. When the officer spots a violation, he or she will report it to a partner working the area who will then initiate a traffic stop.

According to the Illinois State Board of Education, children are at the greatest risk when they are getting on or off the school bus. Most children killed in bus-related crashes are pedestrians, five to seven years old, who are getting on or off the bus. These children are hit by the school bus or by motorists illegally passing a stopped school bus.

According to the Illinois State Police, it is unlawful for a driver to pass a school bus that has stopped to load or unload children when its stop signal arm is extended.

School bus drivers may call police with the license plate numbers of vehicles that illegally pass them. In those instances, state statute provides that the owner is responsible for identifying the operator of the vehicle if they were not the driver when the violation occurred. Otherwise, the owner faces the charges.

The Orland Park Police Department’s second May campaign is “Look Twice — Save a Life” promoting motorcycle awareness. Drivers of all ages are reminded to be aware of and watch for motorcycles especially during the warmer months.

Motorcycle operators are reminded to be vigilant watching for other vehicles on the road, paying close attention at intersections and sharing the road with vehicles.