As schools across the country come back in session, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a safety advisory in an effort to keep drivers and students alike safe near school buses and school zones across the country.
According to recent estimates, roughly a dozen children are killed each year by passing motorists while waiting at or crossing toward their school bus stops.
The advisory offered suggestions for parents and adults working with children on things to teach them about bus stop safety:
- Stand at least six feet (three giant steps) from the approaching school bus while waiting at the bus stop.
- Wait to board the bus until the driver says it is safe.
- When getting off of the bus, cross the street in front of the bus and make sure the bus driver sees you. Always watch for oncoming traffic when approaching or leaving the bus.
- Never walk behind the bus
The advisory also included reminders for motorists:
- Carefully watch for children when near school zones and school bus stops. Children late to the bus stop may dart into the street.
- Remember that children do not easily gauge vehicle speeds and can often misjudge when it is safe to cross the street when a vehicle is approaching.
- Become familiar with the stopped school bus laws in your state.
- Remember that yellow flashing lights indicate that a school bus is getting ready to stop and load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop. Red flashing lights and an extended stop-arm indicate that the bus is loading or unloading children. Motorists should stop and wait for the lights to stop flashing, the stop-arm to be withdrawn, and the bus to start moving before proceeding.
