Everyone Contributes to School Bus Safety
School is back in session, and that means rush hour traffic just got a little more complicated. Big yellow buses are back on the road, making wide turns, frequent stops, and making sure students around Delaware are safely transported to and from school.
While several accidents have already happened this school year involving school buses, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains that:
- “School buses are designed to be safer than passenger vehicles in avoiding crashes and preventing injury.
- School buses are the safest mode of transportation for getting children back and forth to school.
- School buses keep an annual estimated 17.3 million cars off roads surrounding schools each morning.”
School buses are designed to behave differently in crashes, using soft padding and high walls (called compartmentalization) to protect occupants from injury and impact during an accident. But school buses aren’t the last word in keeping our children safe on the roads.
How you can make the roads safer for children on school buses
Children learn by observing. Make sure that every time you get on the road, everyone in your vehicle is safely buckled up. While restraints on school buses are a voluntary secondary safety system, it never hurts to take advantage of a teachable moment in your own car, and it could save your child’s life.
Be alert and aware of other drivers on the road, and observe all posted warnings and signs. School buses are equipped with a number of warning lights and even a stop sign; drivers are legally obligated to stop when children are leaving or entering a school bus. Even after the signs and lights are off, proceed with caution. Slowing down around a school bus could mean the difference between life and death for a child.
Teach your children to be aware of their surroundings and double check before crossing the road. Their awareness can help avoid an accident, injury, or even death. These guidelines can help avoid unfortunate accidents and keep your family safe during this school year.
Accidents involving children are a loss for the entire community. However, even with the best safety precautions, cautious drivers, and observant motorists and children, accidents still happen. When they do, our experienced personal injury and auto accident attorneys can help get you the compensation you deserve. If you or someone you know has been injured in accident, visit us at one of our locations in Newcastle, Seaford, or Wilmington, or contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced Delaware auto accident lawyer.
Attorney Jeffrey S. Friedman joined Silverman, McDonald & Friedman in 2001. He graduated from Widener University School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and in several Federal Circuit courts. He areas of concentration include auto accident and workers’ compensation cases. Read more about Attorney Friedman here.