They “didn’t see it.” “I was late.” Others “thought it was fine.” Those were just a few of the excuses Harris County deputies heard Wednesday morning as they pulled over driver after driver in Klein, Texas. Authorities caught each of these cars flying past a stopped school bus.

By the end of the sting, police wrote 51 citations, and a few of those stops turned into something bigger.

One driver had drugs and a handgun with the serial number filed off. Another had a suspended license, and a few didn’t have one at all.

The school bus operation launched before sunrise along Louetta Road

Precinct 4 constables ran a coordinated sting to see how many motorists would ignore flashing red lights and extended stop signs on school buses.

It didn’t take long. In one instance, five vehicles zipped past a single stopped bus as children stood outside the open door, waiting to board.

Deputies said they’ve adopted a zero-tolerance policy for this type of violation

And the morning a Click2Houston reporter rode along proved why.

Federal data shows children face higher risks while getting on or off a school bus than during the ride itself.

From 2010 to 2019, pedestrian deaths near buses were more than one and a half times higher than those of students inside them.

This kind of disregard isn’t unique to Houston

Nationwide, officials recorded about 43.5 million illegal bus passings during the 2022-2023 school year, according to federal estimates.

Between excuses and citations, constables found everything from expired registrations to unlicensed drivers to contraband hidden under seats

By the end of the morning, it was clear that Houston’s school bus stops aren’t just busy…they’re dangerous.

Constable Mark Herman’s office said similar operations will continue through the school year. 

The goal, they explained, isn’t just to hand out fines. It’s to make sure no child’s morning commute turns into a tragedy.