School Bus Safety

There are also the natural concerns for their children’s safety, with concerns over school bullies, violence, and drugs. Transportation is often a concern, and parents who rely on the school bus system may feel anxious about leaving their children in the hands of district school bus drivers. Accidents involving school buses and bus stops do happen, and these types of accidents have the potential to cause your child serious injury. Here’s what you need to know about school bus safety, and how to help keep your students safe this school year.

School Bus and Bus Stop Accidents

Nearly 23 million children ride the school bus each day. While school buses are one of the safest means of transportation for school age children, accidents do happen. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, approximately 19 students are killed each year in school transportation related accidents. While school bus crashes are infrequent, they result in serious, potentially life-threatening injuries. Simply waiting at the school bus stop poses an even greater risk to children. To reduce the chances of your child being injured, follow these school bus and bus stop safety tips from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety:

• Children racing to catch the bus run a greater risk of being hurt in a pedestrian accident. Make sure your child gets to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is due to arrive
• When the bus is approaching, children should line up away from the street. Teach your children to take three giant steps backward, in order to maintain a safe distance when the bus comes to a stop
• Wait until the driver says it is safe before entering the bus
• Use handrails when getting on or off buses
• Never walk behind the bus. If children need to cross the street, have them wait for a crossing guard. If no guard is available, have them walk up the street a safe distance away from the bus before crossing
• If your child drops something getting on or off the bus, make sure they tell the driver, before attempting to retrieve the item

Remind your child that when riding the bus, always sit facing forward, remain seated until the bus has stopped, and avoid doing anything that could distract the driver. Adults can do their part to ensure school bus safety by using caution when driving around or near buses. Remember to watch for bus stopping signals. Yellow flashing lights means the bus is getting ready to stop, and red flashing lights means the bus has stopped and children will be getting off or on. Drivers are required by law to stop their vehicles until the red lights stop flashing before proceeding.

For a free legal consultation, call 803-222-2222

South Carolina Car Accident Attorneys Can Help You

If you have a loved one who has been injured in a school bus or bus stop accident, contact Anastopoulo Law Firm right away. Our experienced South Carolina car accident attorneys may be able to help you get compensation for the injuries your child has suffered. With offices in Charleston and throughout South Carolina, we can help you recover the compensation you deserve.