School Bus Safety

With the beginning of the school year, safely transporting students to and from school is critical. While in some towns and cities students can walk to school, many more are transported by school bus.

According to the Iowa DOT (Department of Transportation), the greatest risk is not riding the bus to school but approaching or leaving the bus. The greatest danger zone is the 10 feet in front, behind and on each side of the school bus. That is because many vehicle drivers don’t stop for school buses as required by law. It’s also possible that bus drivers may be unable to see a student behind, in front of or to the side of the bus.

Safety reminders for students Students must be aware of the dangers they face when close to a bus. To remain safe be sure your children understand and follow these rules from the Iowa Department of Education:

• Stop and look both ways before crossing a street.

• Make sure the bus driver can see you when you are crossing in front of the bus. If you can't see the driver, the driver cannot see you.

• Never cross behind the bus.

• When getting on or off the bus, never cross the street until the bus driver signals it’s OK to cross.