All around Ohio, school is back in session — and that means school buses are again everywhere on the roads.
With that in mind, the Ohio Highway Patrol and other authorities are urging drivers to remember that they need to exercise caution on the roads as everybody gets back into the routine.
The shared burden of roadway safety
As one Ohio authority put it, “Safety on the roadway is a shared responsibility by school bus drivers and motorists.” The authorities are making an extra effort to remind people of this shared goal because new statistics indicate that there have been 5,859 wrecks involving school buses in this state between 2016 and 2020 — and almost all of them were avoidable.
Here are some of the top rules that you should know:
- Give a bus at least 10 feet of space: When you see flashing lights or an extended arm displayed on a school bus, you need to stop your vehicle at least 10 feet away. This includes drivers who are either behind the bus or traveling in the opposite direction.
- Don’t move until the bus moves: Once you’ve stopped your vehicle, don’t resume moving until the bus is back in motion. It’s not enough to wait until you see the students board or disembark.
- Give yourself extra time to reach a destination: You need to build a little extra time into your daily commute so that you’re not tempted to go around a school bus on the road.
All this being said, you can’t control what other drivers do. Accidents may still happen, and you could easily fall victim to a distracted driver who plows into you when you stop for a school bus. If you’re injured, find out what it takes to successfully claim the compensation you are due.
