No doubt you’ve all seen an increase in those familiar yellow buses. That can only mean one thing: school has started.
After a long summer of swimming, playing, enjoying outdoor activities and just plain relaxing, it might be a good time for a refresher course on school safety.
Even though school buses are brightly colored, and have flashing lights and stop signs, some drivers can still be distracted and fail to notice a bus coming to an abrupt stop to drop off school kids. I encourage everyone to be especially aware of the increase in traffic on weekday mornings and evenings, as well as children getting on and off school buses and in and out of other vehicles.
In addition, remember that in dual lane traffic, both sides are required to stop when bus lights are flashing and its stop sign is displayed.
Students should also be aware of straps on backpacks or other items that might get tangled in some of the hardware on the bus, especially the door.
Shoes should always be kept tied so the students don’t trip on them getting on or off the bus. In addition, students should never stop and tie their shoes or pick up dropped items while crossing in front of the bus, as the driver may not see them
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For additional information and safety tips, visit www.savemolives.com/school-bus-safety.html or www.safekids.org.
Our school children are our future, and we must take the initiative to be proactive to protect our state’s most precious resource.
Always feel free to contact me throughout the year with any comments, questions, or issues by calling my office at (573) 751-5713 or by visiting my website at www.senate.mo.gov/brown.
Thank you for reading this column and for your participation in state government.
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