Stephen Cutler, a bus driver for Hyde Park Central School District, was named the 23rd Dutchess County School Bus Driver of the Year, according to County Executive Sue Serino. The award recognizes Cutler's 10 years of dedicated service and his spotless safety record with no preventable collisions.
The Dutchess County Traffic Safety Board established the annual award in 2002 to promote school bus safety and recognize transportation professionals.
The recognition comes during National School Bus Safety Week, observed the third full week of October. Dutchess County has also launched a school bus camera safety program in partnership with BusPatrol LLC that uses photo-enforcement technology to identify motorists who illegally pass school buses with red lights flashing. Eleven of the county's 13 school districts currently participate.
Under New York State law, motorists must stop whenever a school bus displays flashing red lights, whether on the same or opposite side of the road, including on divided highways such as Routes 9, 44 and 55. Drivers who fail to stop face fines ranging from $250 to $1,000, five points on their driver's license, and possible jail time—up to 30 days for a first offense and up to 180 days for repeat offenses.
According to the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee, approximately 50,000 motorists illegally pass stopped school buses in New York State each day, putting students, drivers and others at risk.