National School Bus Safety Week is next week and a recent incident illustrates the importance of motorists showing patience and care when sharing the road with buses. This annual safety week is a public education program designed to promote school bus safety with students, parents, motorists, and school communities. This year it comes days after a local driver illegally passed a bus, causing an accident that injured a Kindergarten student (article link and below).
Here ae some key points about this safety week:
While school buses are statistically the safest way for students to travel to school, the greatest danger occurs outside the bus when children are boarding, exiting, or crossing the street. Here's how different groups in the HSD community can help keep students safe:
For Motorists: Remember that it is illegal to pass a school bus when its red lights are flashing and the stop-arm is extended.
For Students and Parents: Students must be mindful of the school bus "Danger Zone": The 10-foot area surrounding all sides of the school bus. The S.A.F.E. acronym helps students remember how to best navigate this zone:
S - Safety Rule: Stay back at least 5 to 10 giant steps from the curb while waiting.
A - Always wait: Wait for the bus to stop completely and the driver to signal before boarding.
F - Face forward: Sit quietly and face forward to avoid distracting the driver.
E - Exiting safely: Walk 5 giant steps ahead of the bus before crossing, keeping eye contact with the driver.
For the HSD and First Student: Collaborate to ensure safety for everyone involved in getting our students safely to/from school.