Driving near a school or school bus can be dangerous if motorists do not take proper precautions to ensure not only their own safety, but the safety of children in the vicinity. Here is a guide to help you understand the correct protocol to follow as a driver in a school zone or near a school bus.

Picking up or dropping off children from school:

  • Each school has a system for picking up and dropping off children. Make sure you learn about school rules and follow them.
  • Do not double park because it reduces visibility for other drivers and may endanger students
  • Park in assigned areas (these have been designed with student safety in mind) and take permitted turns while navigating the school grounds. Avoid making U-turns and three-point turns.
  • While driving, watch out for children on bicycles approaching the road between parked cars. Also keep a safe distance of at least 3 feet between your vehicle and the motorcycle, and always check your side rear view mirror before getting out of your car.
  • As a general rule of thumb, make sure your child is securely buckled with a seat belt or in an age-appropriate child safety seat before starting the car. Also, make sure your child enters or exits the car only through the ‘security door’, which is the back door on the curb side.

Driving in a school zone:

  • Do not exceed the 25 mph speed limit imposed while driving in school zones. In most cases, this speed limit is imposed in school zones between 8 a.m. M. And 9.30 a. M. And between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. M.
  • Slow down when approaching a school crossing
  • Do not continue beyond the school crossing until the crossing supervisor’s hand sign is no longer displayed, or until he / she instructs you to continue.
  • If there is no crossing supervisor, but the ‘CHILDREN CROSSING’ flags are displayed, the motorist must stop and wait until all pedestrians have crossed the street.
  • While driving through a school zone, avoid honking your horn as it could scare children and cause them to trip or fall in the path of oncoming traffic.

Driving near a school bus:

  • Learn to understand the flashing light system on school buses.

  • If the lights on the roof of the bus are flashing yellow, prepare to stop. These lights indicate that the bus driver plans to stop the vehicle to load or unload the children.

  • If the roof lights are flashing red and the stop sign is extended, the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off the bus. At this time, all motorists, regardless of which direction they are moving, must stop until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign is removed, and the bus resumes movement. In all 50 US states, all vehicles on both sides of the road are required to stop during this process. However, if a median divides the road, this may not be necessary.

  • If you are passing a school bus, make sure there is enough visibility and room in the next lane. It is illegal in the US to pass a bus on the right side as this is where loading and unloading of children occurs. Therefore, vehicles may pass the school bus on the left side on multi-lane highways.

  • Remember, although buses have large mirrors to help the driver navigate, these vehicles also have large blind spots. Be aware of this, and back up and slow down if you see a bus flash its flashing lights, and allow it to move into the next lane.

  • Be especially vigilant near bus stops. Children may be playing at the bus stop to kill time, or they may be late for their school bus and inadvertently rush into oncoming traffic.

  • Keep in mind that buses stop frequently, so keep a distance of at least 3 feet between your car and the bus, to give yourself plenty of time to stop as well.

  • Do not park at or near a bus stop. In fact, keep enough distance between your vehicle and the bus stop to allow children to enter and exit the bus with ease.

  • Always remember that children can behave in unpredictable, often hasty ways. In their rush or excitement, they may not remember the safety concerns associated with walking down the road or picking up something they have dropped. Therefore, it is important to look very carefully to make sure the path is clear before navigating through traffic behind a school bus.

These tips will help you drive safely and responsibly while driving in a school zone or near a school bus. If you would like to share your thoughts or suggestions, we would love to hear from you. Leave us a comment below!

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