Bus Driver Safety Effort Pays Off at Gibraltar

A Door County school official and a parent in December recognized a bus driver for actions and routines that kept students from getting injured when a car slammed into a bus.

Angela Sherman in late December urged the Gibraltar Area School Board to recognize or present an award to Dale Krolick due to the Department of Transportation safety procedures he followed and lessons he instilled in the students and parents.  

Sherman walked her children to the end of the driveway along County Road A near Ephraim on the morning of Dec. 1, and they paused, as taught by Krolick, until getting a signal from him that it was safe to cross the road. As they waited and watched, a car slammed into the bus, causing minimal damage to the bus and significant damage to the car.

“Dale Krolick did everything right that day and made sure my children didn’t cross the road, or they would have been hit,” Sherman told the school board.

While the crash was unusual, bus drivers see far too many close calls. He said on a weekly basis Gibraltar drivers report someone illegally passing a stopped bus.

Krolick said it’s crucial for all motorists to pay attention and know the law. No vehicle can pass a school bus in either direction when the red lights are activated. Some people think they can drive past if the stop arm isn’t visible yet, but the law initially pertains to the lights.

“Our drivers teach the students to not walk toward the bus until they get a ‘sign’ or wave from the driver that it is OK to approach the bus,” said Brett Stousland, Gibraltar Area Schools Superintendent. “The driver kept the students calm, called for assistance and notified the proper school personnel.”