Rep. Schmidt Newsletter: "Stop on Red, Children Ahead"

CINCINNATI , OH – As a mother, and on behalf of the millions of children heading back to school, I would like to remind all motorists to be on the lookout for school children, and the yellow buses that take them to and from school.

The return of school buses to the streets brings with it a set of safety concerns for our children and all motorists. While riding a school bus is the safest form of transportation for children, there are still thousands of accidents involving buses each year. Here in Ohio , we have not experienced a fatal incident involving a child riding in a school bus since1966, but there have been other accidents involving school buses where children were hurt or fatally injured. That is why it is critically important that drivers are vigilant and aware of their surroundings as another school season gets underway.

The theme for this year’s National School Bus safety week (October 22-26), “Stop on Red, Children ahead,” reminds motorists that they are required to stop for stopped school buses that are displaying flashing red lights and an extended stop arm.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, motorists approaching a stopped bus from either direction should stop at least 10 feet away and wait until the bus resumes motion. If a school bus is stopped on a road divided into four or more lanes, only traffic driving in the same direction as the bus must stop.

We all can do our part by starting to think about school bus safety the moment we start our cars. When backing out of a garage or driveway, watch for children walking to school or the school bus stop. Many times children who are walking or riding their bicycles are paying more attention to getting to school and less attention to their personal safety.

Parents with children who take the bus should make sure their children arrive at the stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to pick them up. While waiting for the bus, they should stand at least three giant steps away from the curb, and line up away from the street. Before stepping into the bus, children should wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver gives permission.

While on the bus, children should be encouraged to sit quietly in their seat and follow the driver’s instructions on school bus safety. When exiting the bus, care should be taken to check that clothing with drawstrings and book bags with straps do not get caught in the handrails or doors. Additionally, students should never go back for anything left on the bus, and never bend down near or under the bus to pick something up that has fallen.

Passengers should always walk in front of the bus when they must cross a street to get on or off the bus. Children should walk far enough in front of the bus, so that they can see the bus driver, should never walk behind a school bus, and should stay at least three feet away from the side of a bus.

A safe trip to school is the least we can do for our children. If we all do a little, we can ensure that our children arrive safely.