School Bus Safety

After months of remote learning, many students are returning to school. That means school buses are out and about again. For many parents, school bus safety is a genuine concern. After all, you’re putting your child’s safety in someone else’s hands. Keeping that in mind, let’s take a closer at these vehicles. 

School Bus Safety

So, just how safe are school buses? As it turns out, they are quite safe indeed. That said, there are still some important notes to review, for both you and your child.

You see, according to the American School Bus Council, “students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a school bus instead of traveling by car.” This is a pretty amazing statistic!

You see, these vehicles have many safety protocols in place. They are designed with the utmost safety in mind. After all, they are responsible for getting your little ones from Point A to Point B every single day. As a result, they have features like flashing red lights on the outside and protective seating on the inside. Consequently, less than one percent of traffic fatalities nationwide can be attributed to a lack of school bus safety.

Waiting for the Bus

School bus safety starts before the bus even arrives. If your child waits for the bus anywhere but directly outside of your home, it is a good idea to travel their route to the stop before the semester begins. 

In addition, your little one should stand on the sidewalk, away from the curb, to avoid being too close to the bus when it pulls over. They should then wait for the bus to completely stop before approaching it. 

For those of you with little sleepyheads, it is important for you to schedule your morning so that your child has plenty of time to get to their bus stop. They should get there several minutes before the bus is set to arrive. 

On the Bus

Once your child gets on the bus, that’s when many parents’ fear begins. Luckily, these buses are designed with high crush standards and rollover protection. It is a good idea for you to review school bus safety rules with your child before they ever step onto a bus. They should know to stay seated, always face forward and look both ways before exiting the bus.

For parents, it may be surprising to hear that your child’s bus may not be equipped with seat belts. In fact, this is by design. Due to its heavy weight, a school bus’s crash force of is less than that in a car. The seats themselves, rather than their belts, will keep students safe. This is due to factors such as their ability to absorb energy and the spacing between the seats. 

Driving Near a Bus

School bus safety doesn’t start and end with the bus itself. In fact, nearby drivers are also culpable for any injuries to kids who are exiting a bus. To ensure the utmost safety, school buses in all states are equipped with stop-sign arms. As such, it is illegal for a driver to pass a school bus when a student may be exiting a bus.

Some school bus safety signals that are good for any driver to know about involve a school bus’s flashing lights. If yellow lights are flashing, the bus is coming to a sop. Nearby motorists should slow down. If you spot red flashing lights, you should stop. This means that students will be exiting the bus. When he lights stop flashing, you can continue on your way. These warning signs aside, if you see a school bus, it is important to remain aware. Students may still be nearby.