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Edition 16: School Bus Safety

September 2004

     

 

 

 

September is Bus Safety Month

As schools begin classes, motorists are urged to be on the lookout for students to be appearing on street corners again. The beginning of the school year is a time when children are at increased risk of transportation-related injuries from pedestrian, bicycle, school bus and vehicle crashes. Included in this newsletter are safety tips to make back-to-school commutes safer for motorists and students. The next issue will focus on pedestrian safety.

About 23.5 million students ride school buses daily. Although school bus transportation is safer for kids than car rides, injuries do occur. In 2002, 41 children ages 14 and under were killed in school bus-related crashes across the nation. More than half of the children killed were pedestrians. Further, that year an estimated 7,000 children were injured in school bus-related incidents. Many injuries happen when children are boarding or exiting the bus. The two most frequent incidents where children are injured are either by their being in the “Danger Zone,” or by a vehicle that fails to stop when a bus is loading or unloading. The Danger Zone is a 10-foot area surrounding the bus that is a blind spot to the bus driver. (NHTSA)

 

 

    
 

Tips for Motorists:

  • Slow down and obey all traffic laws and speed limits.
  • Watch for school buses. Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm indicate the school bus is stopping to load or unload children. State law requires you to stop.
  • Keep an eye out for children walking in the street, especially where there are no sidewalks.
  • Be alert for children playing and gathering near bus stops and for those who may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
  • When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch for children walking or biking to school.
  • When driving in neighborhoods or school zones, watch for children who may be in a hurry to get to school or distracted and/or playing with other children.
  • Obey speed limits in school zones and neighborhoods.

Tips for Students:

  • Always buckle up when riding in a car. Be sure to remove your backpack before getting in the vehicle. Never buckle your safety belt with your backpack on.
  • Always ride in the back seat.
  • Always wear a helmet and follow traffic safety rules when riding your bike.
  • If you ride a school bus, learn and practice the safety rules for waiting at the bus stop, getting on and off, and riding the bus. Never wait for the bus in the roadway.
  • If you walk to school, learn and practice the safety rules for pedestrians. It is extremely important for you to use a sidewalk when available, look left-right-left when crossing the road, and always walk facing traffic.
  • Always cross at crosswalks; obey all traffic signs, traffic lights and crossing guard instructions.
  • Teen drivers should avoid speeding and minimize distractions (talking on cell phones, adjusting the radio) while driving. Never overload a vehicle; everyone riding in a vehicle must use a safety belt.

Tips for Parents:

  • Be a good role mode. Always buckle up in the car, always wear a helmet when biking and always follow pedestrian safety rules.
  • Supervise young children as they are walking or biking to school or as they wait for the school bus stop.
  • Provide your children with bright clothing so motorists can see them easily.
  • If your child is under 4 years old and weighs less than 40 pounds, make sure the child is properly buckled up in a weight-appropriate child safety seat in the back seat.
  • If your child is age 4 to 8, weighs over 40 pounds, and measures 4 feet 9 inches tall or less, the child should ride in a booster seat in the back seat.
  • All children under age 12 should ride in the back seat.
  • Make sure that your teen driver understands and obeys all state traffic laws.
  
     

 

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- Bus Safety Rules -

10 Basic Bus-Safety Rules parents should review with their children so they can learn how to stay safe when riding to and from school. (Family Education)

Children should learn to always be aware of the street traffic around them. Drivers are required to follow certain rules of the road concerning school buses, however, not all do. Teach them to protect themselves and watch out.

  1. Be on time (Never run to or from the bus).
  2. Have a safe place to wait for your bus, away from traffic and away from the street.
  3. Stand back from the curb until the bus has come to a complete stop.
  4. Wait for the driver’s signal before crossing.
  5. Always cross at least 10 feet in front of the bus.
  6. Do not push or shove.
  7. Stay in your seat.
  8. Do not yell or shout.
  9. Always obey the driver.
  10. Never crawl under a school bus.

School Bus Safety Rules for the Driver:
(VA DMV)

  • When approaching a school bus with flashing signals or flashing signals and an extended stop sign on a public or private road, you must stop.
  • You must also stop if the bus is loading or unloading children and the signal devices are not functioning properly.
  • You do not have to stop, however, if you are traveling in the opposite direction on roadways separated by a physical barrier or unpaved median area.
  • Yellow or amber flashing lights are a pre-warning that the bus is preparing to stop and load or unload children.
  • Stop at least 20 feet from the bus.
  • Remain stopped until the stop signal is retracted, red lights are turned off, and the bus has begun to move.
  • If you are caught passing a bus illegally, you could face up to $1,000 or more in fines, 30 days in jail and 6 driver’s license points. More importantly, you could hit a child and severely injure or even kill them.

 

LINKS OF INTEREST:

 

 

 

Department of Motor Vehicles

  
 
   
 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Statistics and definitions		  
 
   
 
Family Education
  
 
   
 
School Bus Safety Guide:
Tips for motorists and students
  
 
School bus safety tips for parents  

 

 

 

 

 

 

George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Public Health has completed numerous traffic safety campaigns.  To review and download these campaigns and others, visit: http://www.caph.gmu.edu/Campaigns.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Funded by a grant from

 

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 27412
Richmond, VA 23269

http://www.dmv.state.va.us

 

 

 

 

 

 

George Mason University

Center for the Advancement of Public Health

4400 University Dr., MS1F5

Fairfax, VA 22030-4444

http://www.caph.gmu.edu