School Bus Safety Means Slowing Down
Our previous blog post focused on ways to drive smart during the back-to-school season. For this post, Accident Recovery Team is expanding on that to focus on school bus safety. School buses are now on the roads all day long and that means children are too. Drivers need to slow down and pay more attention, especially before and after school. Accident Recovery Team has come together again with a few tips to practice school bus safety everyday this school year.
School Bus Safety During Drop-Off & Pick-Up
No one’s going to argue that school pick-ups and drop-offs are chaotic. Even if you don’t have school-aged children, that time of day means an increase in traffic congestion. Buses are large and need much more room to navigate to get in and out of school parking lots. This increased congestion also means an increase in poor judgment from many drivers who are in a rush. It’s vital that all drivers practice school bus safety by driving slowly and using patience while in a school zone.
Sharing the Road with School Buses
With buses constantly on the roads, it’s important to know the laws and expectations surrounding school bus safety. According to research by the National Safety Council, most children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are walking. They are hit by the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus. There are many precautions drivers can take to prevent this tragedy from happening to them. If you’re driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. This will give you more time to stop once the yellow lights on the bus inevitably start flashing. Research shows that the area ten feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children. Be sure to stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus.
If the yellow or red lights on a bus are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop. In every state in the United States, it is illegal to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children. Again, you can never pass a bus from behind if it is stopped to load or unload children. On an undivided road, the rule extends to both directions of traffic. Stay up-to-date on school school bus safety to ensure children’s safety and keep you from collecting a hefty fine.
Accident Recovery Team is Here All Year Long
Accident Recovery Team is made up of attorneys who care about school bus safety. Contact any of the attorneys at the Accident Recovery Team by calling us toll free at 866-263-0505. We’re happy to answer questions and the consultation is free. You never pay a fee until we win.
Information provided by The National Safety Council (NSC) website.