School bus safety

9/24/2019 (Permalink)

Children's safety is vital, never pass a school bus when children are getting on or off the bus.

School buses are picking up passengers, kids are hurrying toward school, and parents are rushing to drop off kids before continuing on to their places of employment or other daily schedules. School is back in session, and we all need to share the roads.

Most children lose their lives in bus-related accidents when they are walking to or from the school bus. They are either struck by the bus itself, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus.

Drivers have a responsibility to follow the laws of the road and to be extra aware when driving through school zones and approaching school buses. It’s important to be extra alert around young pedestrians as they may not remember to look both ways before crossing the street.

The most important rule of thumb is to of course slow down when traveling in school zones or behind school buses. However, there are many other tips and rules to follow when it comes to sharing the roads with school buses and young pedestrians. Please share the following rules with your drivers:

• Leave plenty of room between your vehicle and the bus when driving behind a bus. Be prepared to stop at any time when the bus’s lights begin to flash.
• When a bus is stopped with its lights flashing, be sure to stop and leave ample space (a minimum of 10 feet) between the bus and your vehicle.
• Never pass a bus loading or unloading students.
• Adhere to school zone speed limits.
• Be extra cautious while approaching crosswalks, school zones, and neighborhoods, and stop for children crossing the street.

If you have water or fire damage, please call SERVPRO of Cambridge/Belmont (617) 489-7378