Each fall, more than 800,000 Missourians will begin school and communities around the state are preparing to welcome students back for another year.  After the summer months off from the regular school schedule, we could all — parents and students alike — use a refresher course on school zone safety.

One of the first signs of schools starting up are school buses. The bright yellow paint, the flashing lights and the swinging stop signs are all features designed to help other drivers notice students loading and unloading. However, distractions are everywhere and even the most vigilant drivers can have their attention diverted. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind, especially in the morning and afternoon, when buses typically run their routes. When a person encounters a stopped bus, he or she should pay attention to the stop sign and watch for children crossing streets. In dual lane traffic, both lanes are required to stop, but if it is a divided roadway or a road with four or more lanes, only the traffic traveling in the same direction is required to stop. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) has a number of helpful links on their website, www.modot.org, under the heading of Safety.

Accidents can happen, but with a little caution, we can reduce the number of children and adults hurt in bus loading and unloading incidents. Here are a few ideas to help ensure child safety when students are loading the bus. Always stay in sight of the bus driver. If the child can’t see the driver, the driver is probably not able to see the student and may not know the child is there. To eliminate this concern, students should walk a few steps out from the bus and stay in the driver’s line of sight. When approaching the school bus, students should always wait until it comes to a full stop before entering or leaving, and, when leaving, take three big steps away from the door quickly in order to give the bus room to maneuver. If a student should drop something important near the wheel of the bus, get the driver’s attention before attempting to retrieve it. If a student bends down near the tires of the bus, it becomes extremely difficult for the bus driver to see that student. Also, remind students that things like dangling backpack straps or untied shoe strings can be dangerous and could get caught in bus doors or other equipment. Keep straps, strings and loose clothing tucked away. Don’t ever rush to catch a ride on the bus. Hurrying is dangerous because other traffic rules tend to be forgotten when we are in a hurry.

Just as important as driver or rider safety is pedestrian safety. Students should know a couple basics when it comes to streets, buses, and vehicles. First, children should be reminded to always use available crosswalks at intersections. Children should never enter traffic from between parked cars or near bushes or trees. Those kinds of visual impediments are dangerous and can keep a driver from seeing pedestrians. Second, utilize sidewalks when possible. Traffic lights and signs may be for vehicles, but they apply to pedestrians, as well. Students should never assume that vehicles will stop for them. Unless actually in a crosswalk, drivers have the right of way.

Our children deserve the best, and their education is the most important gift we can give to them. With just a few simple details, we can make sure that our students enjoy the journey of the school day. If you have any questions or would like more information on bus safety, please visit the Missouri Department of Transportation’s School and Bus Safety page or SafeKids, USA. For health-related questions, check the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ website.

As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any questions or concerns at any time. We look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions and trying to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at 866-277-0882 (toll-free) or 573-751-2272, or by fax at 573-526-7381.