“You may be late for an appointment, you may be rushing to work, but there’s no excuse to drive past a stopped school bus”, said Glenn Fueston, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention, which administered the funding through the School Bus Safety Enforcement Fund. “Drivers must remember that speeding past a stopped school bus risks the lives of innocent children and bystanders”.
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Highway Patrol statistics from 2004 to 2013 show that more school-age pedestrians were killed between the hours of 7 and 8 a.m. and 3 to 4 p.m. than during any other period of the day.
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. It is never more important for drivers to slow down and pay attention than when children are present – especially before and after school. The driver of the other vehicle shall not proceed to move, pass, or attempt to pass the school bus until after the mechanical stop signal has been withdrawn, the flashing red stoplights have been turned off, and the bus has started to move. Children walking to or from the bus should look both ways before crossing the street and be aware of their surroundings.
The police bureau last week reminded drivers to take proper precautions when driving through school zones, where the speed limit is typically 15 miles per hour, and while driving near school buses.
Get to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road to a point at least five giant steps (10 feet) ahead of the bus before you cross.
If you’re driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a auto.
Always use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be, no matter who has the right of way. When exiting the bus, be careful that clothing with drawstrings, and book bags with straps don’t get caught in the handrails or doors.
Walk at least three giant steps away from the side of the bus.
Schools often have specific drop-off procedures. Never try to pick it up because the driver may not be able to see you.
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“School bus safety is clearly a high priority in Bucks County with several school districts in our area and hundreds of buses on our roads”, said TMA Bucks executive director Bill Brady.
