Where Children Go

The school year is well underway. Children are going to bus stops. They are getting on buses, getting off buses, running home, crossing streets … sometimes carefully with mom or dad nearby … sometimes thoughtlessly. What’s a driver to do?

Let’s review a few safe driving tips to help ensure that our children are safe on the road to school or the playground:

1. Be patient. Give yourself plenty of time to get to work, especially in areas where you know there is a school bus route, because, where there are school buses, there are children.


2. When backing out of your driveway, stay alert! Watch for children and bicycles. Little children could easily get away from their parents and run behind your car.

3. In areas where there are no sidewalks, children could be walking on the side of the road. Be especially conscious of children in the morning before school or right after school in the afternoon.

4. With daylight savings time, it gets darker earlier. Watch out for shadows on the side of the road and slow down, especially in more populated areas.

5. Anticipate. Watch out for children near school bus stops. They could dart in front of the bus without looking.

6. Pay attention and obey the school bus laws. Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles. Red flashing lights and extended stop signs mean the bus has stopped, and children are getting on or off. You must stop your car (whether you're behind the bus or coming up toward it from the other direction) and wait until the red light stops flashing and the stop sign is pulled back.

7. Keep a safe distance when driving behind a school bus. They make many stops on the route, including at railroad crossings, and you should be prepared to stop.

8. Avoid passing a school bus unless there is plenty of room in the left lane and you have good visibility. Keep in mind that school buses have large blind spots. Pass cautiously. Never pass a school bus when it is stopped, with red lights.

9. Drive slowly near school zones. Most school zones have a 15-mile speed limit.

10. Watch for school bus driver’s hand signals. If he/she has to stop for an extended period of time, he/she signals for you to go.

11. Avoid distracting behaviors while driving. No texting. No cell phones. That’s the law!