CALLAHAN, Fla. — A Nassau County mother says not much has changed since a terrifying close call involving her son and a speeding log truck. Now she’s worried it’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt.
Video from 2024 shows a log truck veering onto the shoulder along A1A to avoid slamming into the back of a stopped school bus. Bailey Taylor’s son had just stepped away moments before.
Taylor says she still can’t bring herself to watch it.
“I can’t watch it because it just gives me chills, it makes me want to tear up, it’s really emotional,” she said. “I’m not just worried about my own kids. To think that that could ever happen to somebody else’s kids is also terrifying and makes me really emotional.”
Two years later, Taylor says drivers are still ignoring the law.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
She shared three separate videos with Action News Jax showing cars blowing past her children’s stopped school bus, even with the stop arm extended and red lights flashing.
“When it’s completely stopped, and the stop signs are out, and the red lights are flashing, they’re still just flying by going 60, 70, 80 miles an hour past the bus,” Taylor said.
“It’s really frustrating, and we just keep trying to bring awareness and advocate for the safety and for people to just pay a little bit of attention because I would hate anyone to get hurt,” she added. “It’s a lot of chances for something bad to happen if we’re not paying attention.”
Taylor says the issue is happening along State Road 200 near White Oak Place. She wants to see more enforcement, not just at her child’s stop, but throughout the area.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
“If Nassau County Sheriff’s Office could keep up that observation, not just at this stop, but mixing it up a little bit by being at different bus stops in the morning and every afternoon,” she said. “If they could continue to kind of monitor and observe, and if we could all just kind of bring awareness.”
She believes confusion may also play a role.
“Especially on a divided highway like this, I think people get confused if they have to stop, when they have to stop, and I think we just need to continue to bring awareness to that and more presence from the sheriff’s office.”
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Action News Jax reached out to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office about the complaints:
Since January 1, 2025, deputies have been assigned to monitor that specific bus stop on 18 separate occasions, proactively watching for traffic violations. During that same timeframe, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) has received two (2) traffic complaints related to the bus stop and issued one (1) citation.
The issue this citizen documented on SR-200 at White Oak Place is unfortunately something we see at multiple locations along SR-200. As shown in the video, it is illegal for a vehicle traveling in the same direction to pass a stopped school bus displaying its flashing red lights. The only exception is for vehicles traveling in the opposite direction on a divided highway.
Our deputies routinely patrol throughout Nassau County with a strong emphasis on school bus safety, including along SR-200. While we make targeted enforcement efforts in areas of concern, it is not feasible to monitor every stop at all times. We remain committed to both enforcement and education efforts aimed at addressing this dangerous behavior.
Additionally, the school district is also exploring the use of stop-arm cameras, pending school board approval. These cameras would enhance enforcement capabilities in areas where deputies are not physically present and provide another tool to help hold violators accountable and protect our students.
For Taylor, her message is simply ‘slow down and pay attention’.
Because she says the next close call might not end the same way.
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
