Everything You Need to Know About School Bus Safety

If your children have recently returned to school or are attending for the first time, you are likely already aware of the importance of school bus safety in Florida. However, even those of us who merely share the road with these vehicles must be acquainted with school bus safety rules.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the school bus is one of the safest vehicles on the road. This is excellent news for parents, but it doesn’t mean that those operating a vehicle near a school bus should throw caution to the wind. Busses can do devastating damage to smaller motor vehicles during a collision and children who are boarding or disembarking from a bus are also at risk of being struck by a car if everyone isn’t careful.

Fortunately, by following some simple bus safety rules, you can ensure that everyone stays protected. Our Florida personal injury attorney shares some school bus safety tips appropriate for both parents and motorists.

School Bus Safety Tips for Parents & Their Children

Young children may not perceive the dangers that a massive school bus can pose, so it is up to their parents and guardians to impress the importance of safety upon them. You can so do by encouraging your child to be patient and to understand the necessity of always walking or standing where the bus driver can see them.

School bus boarding and disembarking safety tips for students and their parents include:

• Accompany young children to the bus stop and wait with them until the bus arrives
• Make sure children stand back from the street until the bus comes to a complete stop
• If your child must cross the street to get on or off the bus, make sure they look both ways before crossing and that the bus driver can see them
• Never walk behind the bus—always stay in the driver’s line of sight
• Make sure your child uses the handrail while getting on and off the bus

School Bus Safety Tips for Motorists

If you are a motorist driving behind a school bus or through a school zone, keep these safety tips in mind:

• If you live near a school, exercise extreme caution when backing your car out of your driveway
• Follow the speed limit in school zones and be on the lookout for children crossing the street
• Watch out for school bus flashing lights so you can slow down or stop when necessary
  • Flashing yellow lights mean the bus is shortly coming to a stop
  • Flashing red lights mean that the bus has come to a stop and so must you
• Make sure you stop for a school bus whether you are traveling in the same or opposite direction as the bus
• Remain stopped until all children have exited the bus and the school bus starts pulling away from the stop

For more information on school bus safety rules and the penalties drivers face for failing to follow the law, visit the School Bus Safety guide published by the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website.

Have you or someone you love been in an accident involving a school bus? Contact our Panama City personal injury attorney for a free consultation. The Pittman Firm, P.A. has been representing wrongfully injured Floridians for over 30 years.