School Bus Safety Tips As Students Return
School is in session which means school buses are on roads throughout the region.
Here are tips from NHTSA for keeping children safe.
If you are driving, remember:
· Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. You should slow down and prepare to stop your vehicle.
· Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. You must stop your car and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving, before you can start driving again.
· Even when lights aren’t flashing, watch for children, particularly in the morning or mid-afternoon, around school arrival and dismissal times. Be alert as you back out of a driveway, or drive through a neighborhood, school zone or bus stop.
Parents should talk bus safety with children. Your child should arrive at the bus stop at least 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. Teach children to play it SAFE:
- Stay at least ten feet — five giant steps — away from the curb.
- Always wait until the bus comes to a complete stop and the bus driver signals for you to board.
- Face forward after finding a seat on the bus.
Exit the bus after it stops and look left-right-left for cars before crossing a street.