With the back-to-school season behind us and school families adapting to their fall routines, October is a good time for the transportation industry to spotlight National School Bus Safety Week.
National School Bus Safety Week is designed to promote school bus safety. School districts throughout the country observe School Bus Safety Week. 2020 National School Bus Safety Week is October 19-23, 2020, and the theme is “Red Lights Mean STOP!”
All groups involved in school bus safety, whether they’re parents, students, teachers, motorists, school bus operators or school administrators, come together with the one goal to develop one plan, communicating the importance of school bus safety. The following are tips for drivers, students, and community members.
Advice for Drivers
Remember to stop far enough back to allow children to enter and exit the school bus safely. Never pass a school bus if it’s stopped to load/unload children.
- Drivers MUST stop for a school bus stopped with its red light flashing and STOP arms extended.
- Be alert for children near buses, bus stops, schools, and in school parking lots.
Tips for a Safe Ride
School buses are the safest way for students to travel, and almost two-thirds of school bus-related fatalities of school-age children occur outside of the school bus. Children need to do their part to stay safe both in and around school buses. The American School Bus Council offers the following tips for students entering or exiting or being around a school bus:
At the Bus Stop
- At bus stops, students should wait at a safe place, away from the road.
- Arrive at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
- Stand 6 feet (or three giant steps) away from the curb while waiting for the bus.
- Supervise young children.
The Area Around the Bus
- Cross in front of the bus, giving yourself at least 10 feet (or five giant steps). Remember to make eye contact with the driver before crossing.
- Never walk behind the bus.
- If you drop something near the bus, it is essential not to pick it up; tell the bus driver instead.
Walking Onto/ Walking Off the Bus
- Wait until the bus has stopped and the door opens before approaching the bus or standing up on the bus.
- Use the handrail.
- Secure any loose or hanging objects like straps on a backpack or drawstrings on a hood.
Madison Window Cleaning recognizes and appreciates the community coming together to creating ongoing school bus safety for our students. We encourage you to periodically review the above tips so that our community continues to be safe.
