How to Safely Share the Road with School Buses

With children heading back to school, buses are set to return to the roads. Though most motorists take extra caution when sharing the roads with school buses, some might not be as vigilant. To help you ensure that the precious cargo these buses carry is protected, here are a few school bus safety tips to keep in mind.

School Bus Safety Tips for Motorists

Preventable crashes involving school buses occur every year. Paying attention to the following safety tips allows you to play your part in reducing the number of these accidents:

• Come to a complete stop when approaching a stopped school bus with its STOP arms extended and red lights flashing.
• When driving in either direction of a two-way street or a highway with a paved median dividing it, ensure you stop for a school bus displaying its stop sign. Remain stopped until the bus withdraws its STOP arms, and the road is clear of children.
• If you are approaching a bus with flashing yellow lights, slow down and prepare to stop because the flashing lights mean the bus is about to stop and children are about to get off or on.
• Remain alert when driving near bus stops, schools, and school parking lots.
• Ensure that you stick to the lower speed limits when driving in school zones and bus stops.
• Avoid all distractions when driving and look out for and obey the signals from school crossing guards.

School Bus Safety Tips for Parents

If you are a parent, you also have a role to play in ensuring school bus safety and the safety of your children. The following safety tips will help:

• Arrive on time and wait with your child at the bus stop, ensuring that you and your child are visible.
• Ensure that your children know the school bus number and the driver’s name.
• When on the bus, your child should remain seated at all times.
• They should also avoid sticking their hands, arms, or head out the window.
• Tell your children to avoid causing disruptions to prevent the driver from becoming distracted.
• Your child should also remain quiet when the bus is at a railroad crossing to allow the bus driver to hear when a train is approaching.
• Remind them always to wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before boarding or getting off.
• Teach your children always to board or get off the bus one at a time using the handrail.
• They should also never walk behind the school bus and always stay away from the bus’s wheels.
• If your child has to cross the street after stepping off the bus, they should take five giant steps in front of the bus, ensure the driver sees them, look both ways, and only cross when it’s safe.

Adhering to these school bus safety tips, as well as teaching your children about safety, will go a long way in ensuring their safe arrival to and from school.

Now a Word from Gary Bell

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By Gary Bell of Bell & Pollock, Injury Attorneys

The kids are back in school which means its time to break out the bookbags, sharpen your pencils, and review school bus safety with your family. Unfortunately, most school bus related deaths involve children ages 4-7 who are hit by either the bus or vehicles illegally passing the bus when the children are getting on or off according to reporting by the National Safety Council. However, by keeping a few common-sense tips in mind – and sharing these tips with your children – you and your family can stay safe this school year.

First, when driving in a school zone remember to avoid blocking crosswalks when stopped at a traffic light or waiting to make a turn so the children have a safe place to cross. Yielding for pedestrians in a cross-walk is the law in Colorado and you must always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard directing traffic but you should also exercise extra caution for small pedestrians in a school zone regardless of who has the right of way. Children can be unpredictable and sometimes ignore hazards.

Next, make sure your family is familiar with your school’s policies and procedures for picking up and dropping off children. Schools often have specific procedures that change from year to year. If possible, avoid dropping off or picking up children across the street from the school. Carpooling is a good way to increase safety by reducing the number of vehicles around the school.

Finally, statistics tell us that the area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children, so make sure to stop far enough back to allow enough space to safely enter and exit the bus. Remember that it is illegal to pass a school bus when it’s loading or unloading children. Please teach your children to pay extra attention when getting on and off the school bus.

This schoolyear please take a few extra seconds to avoid a tragedy from happening and if you or someone you know has been injured by a careless driver, call one of our experienced injury attorneys at Bell & Pollock to establish your legal game plan.

If you have questions about these issues, or if you’ve been injured by a drunk driver or a driver under the influence, simply contact the skilled motor vehicle accident lawyers at Bell & Pollock, P.C. for a free, no-obligation consultation to find out more about how we can help you. We are here to help you get justice, and we know how to devise the right Legal Game Plans™ to get victims full, fair compensation so they can recover and move on with their lives.™

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More Information

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