School Bus Safety: Does Your Child Know The Rules?

Sheriff Webster Encourages Safety

Measure to Avoid Injury 

August 31-Every day approximately 20 million students use school buses as transportation to and from school. Although school buses represent the safest form of highway transportation, there are a number of safety factors of which both student and drivers should be aware. Hoping to ensure school bus safety, Chatham County Sheriff Richard Webster encourages caution whenever school buses are present.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over the past 12 years, an average of 35 school-age children died in school bus-related accidents each year. In this average, nine were occupants on the school bus, while 26 were pedestrians. NHTSA also reports that an alarming two-thirds of all accidents occurred outside of the bus.

“Children are often eager to get off the school bus because they are excited to tell their parents about all of the fun they had at school that day,” said Sheriff Webster. “It is crucial that parents re-enforce the school bus safety rules children learn at school.”

He also suggests that parents drive their child’s bus route with them to practice the proper safety precautions they can take to help ensure their child enjoys a safe ride to and from school.

Sheriff Webster encourages all parents to discuss the following safety measures with their children:

Student

• Always arrive at the bus stop early.
• Prior to boarding, wait until the bus has come to a complete stop, the door opens, and the bus driver says that it’s OK to board.
• Always walk on the sidewalk when preparing to cross the street near a bus. Make eye contact with the driver so that you are sure he or she sees you.
• Never walk behind the bus.
• If you are walking beside the bus, walk at least three giant steps away.
• Take extra precautions to make sure that clothing with drawstrings and book bags do not get caught in the hand rail or door.
• Never stop to pick something up that you have dropped when a bus is stopped.
• Wait until the bus has driven off to avoid not being seen by the driver.

Motorists

• Remember that children are unpredictable in their actions. Take extreme caution when traveling in a school zone.
• If there are no sidewalks, drive cautiously. Be more alert to the possibility of children walking in the road.
• Slow down and prepare to stop whenever you see yellow school bus lights flashing.
• Never pass a school bus when there are flashing red lights. This is a sign that children are getting off the bus.
• Learn and obey the school bus laws in your state.

Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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