Here are some school bus safety reminders:
- Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop vehicles.
- Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate the bus has stopped, and that children are getting on or off. Motorists approaching from either direction must wait until the red lights stop flashing before proceeding.
- Never pass on the right side of the bus, where children enter or exit. This is illegal and can have tragic results.
- Violation of these laws can result in a citation and fine. In many places, school bus drivers can report passing vehicles.
Monitoring cameras may be placed on county school buses to record other vehicles committing violations relating to overtaking and passing school vehicles.
School buses may not be operated at a speed exceeding 50 mph.
Young children are most likely to be hit because they:
- Hurry to get on or off the bus
- Act before they think and have little experience with traffic
- Assume motorists will see them and will wait for them to cross
- Don't always stay within the bus driver's sight
- Drop something as they get off the bus and run into the path of the bus to pick it up
- Never walk behind the bus.
- Look left-right-left when coming to the edge of the bus to make sure traffic is stopped. Keep watching traffic when crossing
- Walk at least three giant steps away from the side of the bus.
- If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver. Never try to pick it up because the driver may not be able to see you.
