School bus safety highest priority

Published 7:16 pm Tuesday, August 7, 2007

By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Bus stop safety is extremely important and with school less than one month away, Parents and students must understand the safety rules and take every precaution possible when waiting for school buses to arrive.
The is also an important time for drivers to be aware and pay more attention when they're behind the wheel. AAA Michigan also reminds motorists to sharpen their senses this school year as the greatest threat children face today is motor vehicle crashes, with the problem escalating during the school year months.
Transportation directors Jan Doubleday of Niles Community Schools and Dave Seidner of Brandywine Public Schools came up with school bus stop and school bus safety for all children and parents to abide by.
"Our kids are very good on the bus. The one thing they don't like to do though is sit down. It doesn't matter what age they are, but mostly the little ones like to get up and look out of the windows because they can't see out of them. Other than that we really don't have too many problems at all," Doubleday said.
One of the biggest problems is motorist who don't know or abide by the rules and safety of school buses. Red flashing lights, for example, mean a driver must stop no closer than 20 feet from the bus because children are, or will be, crossing the street.
"Everyday people zoom right by the buses when their red flashers are on. Our drivers don't always catch them because they are more worried about the safety of the children. But the drivers do their best to get a description of the vehicle and the plate number," Doubleday said.
She stated the reason she doesn't think motorists stop is because they are either not paying attention or are just impatient.
Seidner said it's important for drivers to remember they are dealing with school children. "Slow down. Nothing you are doing is more important than their lives," he said.
AAA Michigan suggests motorist slow down near schools and in residential areas and to look for bicycles. Also scan ahead between parked cars and other objects indicating children could dart in the road. It's always important to stop for school buses when the red lights are flashing, which means children will be entering the street. Those who don't stop could pay a hefty fine.
For those parents worried about their children waiting at bus stops, both school systems said it's a good idea for parents to be with their children. If work or other issue conflict with the scheduling, talk with other parents whose children are at the same stop to see if they will be waiting everyday. Some stops even have parents who take turns watching the children every week.
"Unfortunately, we can't pick children up at their homes because they would never get to school. And we also can't control what goes on when we're not there. But if the driver sees a problem while they are there, they will take care of it immediately. All we can tell parents is to just have their kids to the stops on time," Doubleday said.
"Our biggest concern is safety. We just got a 97 percent rating from the Michigan State Police, who conducted an inspection of all the buses. This is something we are very proud of and we want to continue making sure our buses and our students stay safe," Doubleday added.
Both school systems will be giving out information to parents and students about the rules and safety of buses. They can't enforce enough how important it is for parents to go over the rules with their children.
Bus stop safety
Students should be at their bus stop five minutes before their scheduled pick-up time.
Students should stand away from th roadway and wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before walking toward the bus.
No pushing or horseplay at the bus stops.
Parents are encouraged to be at their child's bus stop.
Students should always report any strangers at their bus stop and not talk to anyone they don't recognize.
Never get in a car with anyone without your parent's permission.
Students are encouraged to wear bright colors when it's dark outside.
If a student misses the bus, be sure they walk back home or to a neighbor's house they know and call their parents. They should never try to walk to school by themself.
Students should always cross in front of the bus, not behind. They also should watch the bus driver, who will signal the children over when the street is clear.
What every driver must know
Flashing yellow lights means the bus is getting ready to make a stop. Please do not try to pass the bus as some students may already be crossing the roadway.
Flashing red lights means all traffic must stop. Please stop at least 20 feet away from the bus.
When red lights are turned off, it is ok to pass or proceed. Most of the time, when possible, a bus driver will pull to the side of the road and let drivers pass.