School Bus Safety - Brief Article

Combat Edge, Sept, 2001

As summer days grow shorter, communities across America will soon be observing that timeless annual ritual: the first day of school. It is a time when parents breathe a sigh of relief and students and teachers anticipate new beginnings and new challenges.

Unfortunately, the beginning of school is also a time when children are at increased risk of transportation-related injuries from pedestrian, bicycle, school bus and motor vehicle crashes. This happens because there are more children on the road each morning and afternoon and many drivers' patterns change. Shorter daylight hours make it especially difficult to see young pedestrians and bicyclists. So as schools open their doors, it's time for everyone -- motorists, parents, educators and students -- to improve their traffic safety practices.

The familiar yellow school bus has become one of the most powerful icons in American society. Day-in and day-out, the nation's 418,000 yellow buses travel more than 4.5 billion miles a year at a cost of nearly $10 billion. They safely carry 24 million children -- nearly half of all the nation's children -- to and from school.

Young people were first transported to school at public expense in the late 19th century. They started in horse-drawn wagons and later traveled in converted trucks. The first vehicles designed specifically for pupil transportation did not become available until the 1920s and 1930s. Throughout this early period, safety continued to be a concern, culminating in the establishment of the first set of national school bus standards in 1936.

"School bus transportation continues to be one of the safest forms of transportation" according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It is far safer to ride in a yellow bus than in the family car, for instance. This superb record is the result of a consistent cooperative effort by a host of individuals and groups. Everyone with a stake in student transportation -- parents, teachers, drivers, school administrators, transportation managers, bus manufacturers and government officials - has a role to play.

While school buses can be proud of their safety record, there are still aspects of school bus transportation that are dangerous to children. More children are hurt outside a bus than inside one. Getting on and off the bus is the most dangerous part of the school bus ride. This loading and unloading area is called the "danger zone." This area extends 10 feet in front of the bus, 10 feet on each side of the bus and 10 feet behind the bus. The danger zone is where children are at greatest risk of not being seen by the bus driver. The child who bends over to retrieve a dropped school paper, or who walks too close to the bus while crossing the street, is at greatest risk of becoming the next statistic of this danger zone.

The risks of the danger zone can be minimized. Students should arrive at the bus stop 5 minutes early. They should stand at least five giant steps (10 feet) away from the edge of the road and wait until the bus stops, the door opens and the driver says it is OK before they step onto the bus.

Students should also be careful that clothing with drawstrings and book bags with straps or dangling objects do not get caught in the handrail or door when exiting the bus. In many school districts, children are taught to escape from the danger zone by taking five giant steps as soon as they leave the bus. If they must cross the street after exiting, they are taught to cross in front of the bus; never behind the bus.

It is important for students to understand that the bus driver must be able to see them and they should be able to see the driver while in the danger zone. The children can do this by maintaining eye contact with the driver at all times. If they drop something beside the bus, your child should tell the bus driver BEFORE attempting to pick up the item. If they don't, the bus driver may not see the child and begin to drive away.

Parents and other adults must also do their part. For instance, most motorists need to learn to share the road with school buses. They must stop when the bus stops to take on or let off passengers. If we all do our part -- if motorists heed school bus warning lights, bus drivers drive defensively, parents help their children learn to ride safely and children learn to avoid the bus's danger zone -- we can increase the safety of that yellow bus ride to and from school.

Safety precaution education is the best way to keep your child safe this school year. Get involved and get your children involved. The more you know the safer you and your children are.

Motorists Should:

* Be aware it is illegal in every state to pass a school bus stopped to load/unload students.

* Know and understand laws governing motorists' driving behavior near a school bus.

* Learn the "flashing signal light system" that school bus drivers use to alert motorists if they are going to stop to load/unload students:

-- Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should SLOW down and prepare to stop their vehicles.