Edinburg, TX (KRGV) — The Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District says drivers keep passing stopped school buses, and Channel 5 News saw at least one driver fail to stop during a ride-along early Monday morning.

For 18 years, Arnold Ibarra has helped students get to and from school. While driving, he watches the road and the surrounding drivers.

“Because they don't stop and they're speeding, so it's safety for the kids,” Ibarra said.

Channel 5 News rode along with a trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety this morning and saw at least one driver fail to stop while a bus had its signals on. Edinburg CISD Transportation Director Daniel Treviño said the district knows cars are passing stopped school buses.

“We do have reports of cars passing buses, especially when they're stopped and those red lights are on,” Treviño said. "Once that stop arm comes out, students are walking towards the bus or running towards that bus, and we want to make sure the public is aware that these students are in that area."

Drivers who do not stop could face a fine ranging from $1,500 to $2,000. Garza said children sometimes have to cross the street to get to or from their bus stop or to get home and a driver may not see them until it is too late.

“Sometimes people don't pay attention, and that's where a majority of the accidents happen,” DPS trooper Eddie Garza said.

Flashing yellow lights warn drivers that the school bus is getting ready to stop. When red lights flash and the stop arm extends, drivers coming from either direction must stop.

“It's important to think about when school buses load off, it's usually off to one side, but the kids do live on the opposite side of the street sometimes, so they will sometimes go across the bus to where there's a blind side,” Garza said.

Nearly a year ago, Channel 5 News followed DPS troopers as they watched school bus routes in McAllen. During that ride along, DPS cited a driver for failing to stop.

“The tickets are expensive, and the worst that can happen is somebody could get killed,” Ibarra said.

Watch the video above for the full story.