Know the School Bus Danger Zone

By Deborah Hersman

 

The theme of this year’s National School Bus Safety Week (October 17 – 21) is “Be Aware — Know the Danger Zone.” Pictured is the winning poster in the National Association of Pupil Transportation’s (NAPT) annual safety poster contest. You probably know the danger zone is the area around the bus where students can get hit by passing vehicles and from vehicles on the shoulder of the road. Yet, thanks in large part to school bus community’s outstanding safety outreach, including poster contests and national safety week, traveling on the big yellow bus is the safest way for our students to get to school.

Next week, I am speaking at NAPT’s Annual Summit. I look forward to congratulating the many professionals in the pupil transportation community for their outstanding work to produce an unequalled safety record. School bus accidents are rare. And, when they do happen, because of the school bus community’s commitment to safety, they seldom result in fatalities or serious injuries to bus occupants.

It is up to everyone on the road to follow traffic laws and safe practices when approaching school buses. So, the next time you see a big yellow bus, be aware and know the danger zone.