Bus Rules & Safety

The safety of bus riders is always our greatest concern.

• Buses shall not be routed down a street or highway without a satisfactory turnaround.
• Buses are not to be routed on private property (this includes most mobile home parks and apartment complexes).
• The Director of Transportation may adjust bus stop locations to eliminate unsafe conditions.
• Routes are established during the summer.
• Routes will be adjusted as needed after school begins to make the routes effective and efficient.
• Bus stops are not always the same as the previous year.

Parents should:

• Review bus safety rules with your child and stress the necessity of observing them.
• Make sure your child is at the bus stop five minutes early. Rushing increases the chance of an accident.
• Remind your child to walk on the shoulder of the road on the way to the bus stop, and not on the traveled portion of the road.
• Remind your child to wait 12 feet off the road at their bus stop, wait for the bus driver's signal and always look before crossing the road.
• Students should not move toward the bus until the bus and all traffic have stopped. Students should stop and look before crossing the road when preparing to board or depart the bus. It is very important to look - do not expect approaching traffic to stop. Your child should never move from the bus or assigned bus stop until the driver has given them the signal to do so.

The School Bus Danger Zone

For school bus drivers to safely load and unload students, they must recognize that there is an area around a stopped school bus that is very dangerous. Parents, please go over the “DANGER ZONE” with your students. This is the area near the bus where the bus driver might not see students or where cars might be moving when student riders are getting on and off the school bus. Bus drivers must ensure proper execution of procedures when students are loading or unloading. Additionally, bus drivers must use both direct vision and properly adjusted mirrors to see students in the DANGER ZONE.

The DANGER ZONE is: The TWELVE-FOOT area that surrounds a stopped school bus. Especially the most dangerous areas which are around the left and right front tires, the front door and the right rear tires where it is difficult for the bus driver to see students with their direct vision. These areas are where the school bus poses a great threat to riders. Additionally, students are at risk to passing motorists on both the left and right sides of the stopped school bus.

When in or near the DANGER ZONE, students should

• Stay away from the dangerous areas where it is difficult for the bus driver to see them with their direct vision. These areas include:
  • Near the right and left front tires
  • Near the right rear tires
  • Near the front door
• Make sure you are always able to see the driver when outside the school bus.
• NEVER return to the bus for something left behind or dropped without getting the bus driver’s attention. Leave any object and move to a point, out of the Danger Zone. Then, get the driver’s attention by putting hands and arms above their head and waving. Wait for the driver to see them and give instructions before returning to the bus or before picking up anything dropped near the bus. If they do not get the driver’s attention, they should not attempt to retrieve the item.
• Be aware of the danger of passing cars that do not stop like they should. The danger may be from cars passing from the rear on the left side of the bus or from cars passing from all directions on both the left and right side of the bus.

Always be alert and focused when in the DANGER ZONE.