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School Bus Safety Tips For Motorists and Parents

With classes beginning in the Bensalem School District on Sept. 8 and in the Neshaminy School District on Sept. 1 and 2 students, parents and motorists should be advised about school bus safety.

Ensuring our children have safe travel to and from school is of the utmost importance, especially in a very busy suburban area such as ours.

For Motorists

The following tips and reminders relate to motorists:

• When driving in neighborhoods with school zones, watch out for young people who may be thinking about getting to school, but may not be thinking of getting there safely.
  Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks, and children playing and congregating near bus stops.
• Obey school bus laws. Yellow flashing lights on a school bus signal the bus will soon be making a stop to load or unload children. Slow down and prepare to stop. Red flashing lights and extended stop arm signal that the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. Stop at least 10 feet before reaching the school bus and wait until the bus has begun to move before starting to drive again. Never pass a bus while its red signal lights are flashing even on divided and/or multi-lane highways.
• Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.

For Parents

Parents should also teach children to follow these commonsense practices to make school bus transportation safer:

• Arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
• Stand at least three giant steps away from the curb and line up away from the street while the bus is approaching. Wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver says that it is okay before stepping onto the bus.
• Walk at least five giant steps ahead of the bus if crossing the street is necessary. Always be sure the bus driver can see you, and you can see the bus driver.
• Never walk behind the bus.
• If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver. Never try to pick it up because the driver may not be able to see you.

Follow these basic back to school safety tips to ensure Pennsylvania’s youths arrive to and from school safely. For additional safety information, please visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.