5 School Bus Safety Tips You Need to Know

5 School Bus Safety Tips You Need to Know

Driving Safety

It’s back to school time, and after months of driving in summer traffic, it is important for parents and all drivers to have a crash course in school bus safety.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, students are approximately 70x safer on a school bus than in a car. Yet unfortunately, nearly 128 people die in school bus-related accidents each year.

That’s why it is important we all do our part to be safe and responsible drivers.

Let’s take a look at 5 bus safety tips you need to know.

1) Always Stop for School Buses with Flashing Red Lights

You hear it all the time – always stay alert and keep your eyes on the road. This is incredibly important to remember as school is in session. As a responsible driver, you must be on the lookout for buses and be aware of flashing yellow and red lights in order to stop.

Although you may be running late to work, running errands or even dropping your children off at school, you must always stop for a school bus with its red lights on. This is true for both directions of traffic.

The law is in place to help protect children who are boarding or exiting a school bus to ensure they do so safely.

2) Don’t Drive Distracted

With so many distractions out there, including your phone, changing the radio dial, even eating and drinking and talking to passengers, your risk of an accident significantly increases.

In a split second, you could miss a bus slowing down or not see a child darting into traffic. That’s why it is critically important to keep your eyes on the road and be observant at all times. That text message can wait.

3) Keep a Safe Distance Away

You should never follow a school bus too closely, and aim to stay 10 feet away from a bus. This allows enough distance if you need to stop your car.

4) Follow Speed & School Zone Limits

You should also follow the speed limits and drive responsibly. If you are driving in a school zone, make sure to drive at the speed limit the whole distance from where the school zone begins and ends.

5) Teach Your Children to Be Safe

As a parent, you worry about your children and want them to arrive to and from school safely. It’s important to have discussions with your children about the potential dangers and teach them what they should do while waiting for a bus, boarding the bus and exiting the bus.

Below are a few important tips:

  • At the bus stop, stay away from traffic and do not play in or run out into the streets
  • Always look left, right and left again before crossing the street
  • Wait until the bus has completely stopped before walking toward the bus
  • Stay in your seat on the bus
  • After exiting the bus, look out for cars when crossing the streets

The Goss Law Firm, P.C. Can Help

If your child has been injured in a school bus accident, it can be overwhelming. You may not even know where to start. That’s why it is so important to consult with an experienced and knowledgeable Personal Injury Attorney.

Call the Kansas City Personal Injury Lawyers at the Goss Law Firm to have your questions answered by an experienced lawyer. To learn more or to schedule a FREE consultation, call us at 816-839-6452 today!