In every state, it is illegal for vehicle drivers to pass a school bus while the school bus stop-arm is extended and the red lights are flashing. Failing to stop could result in injury or death to child pedestrians or their caretakers. Vehicle drivers must always come to a complete stop when a school bus stop-arm is extended and the red lights are flashing.
· Obey all traffic signs and signals. More injuries and fatalities occur outside of or near a school bus because a motorist has failed to obey the stop-arm warning or has failed to follow local traffic laws.
· Although school buses are statistically the safest way to transport school children, fatalities still happen. This is why it is critical that drivers follow all driving laws.
· A driver in a school-bus-related crash could be charged with one of the following:
o A violation for passing a stopped school bus
o A related factor of passing a school bus when prohibited by posted signs, pavement markings, or school bus displaying warning not to pass, and the crash was school-bus-related.
· The most dangerous part of the school bus ride is getting on and off the school bus.
· The school bus loading and unloading area is called the “Danger Zone.” Specifically, this is any side of the bus where a child may not be seen by the bus driver and, therefore, is in the most danger. These areas include:
o 10 feet in front of the bus, where the driver may be sitting too high to see a child
o 10 feet on either side of the bus, where a child may be in the driver’s blind spots
o Behind the school bus
· Young children are most likely to be struck because they:
o Hurry to get on and off the bus
o Act before they think and have little experience with traffic
o Assume motorists will see them and wait for them to cross the street
