Most of us consider school buses to be some of the safest vehicles on the road. We entrust school buses and their drivers, to keep our children safe as they travel to and from school. But how much do you trust the other drivers on the road? It’s important for all of us to know the proper way to drive with and around school buses, so that we keep every child safe.
School buses display extra signage and lights to tell drivers how to respond. Yellow flashing lights mean the bus is about to stop to pick up or unload children. Drivers must slow down and pay attention to children who may be on sidewalks, or dart out into the street to catch the bus.
Red flashing lights, and extended stop arms, mean the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. Drivers must stop and wait for the flashing red lights to stop before they can proceed. When you see red flashing lights on a bus, and you’re on a road with less than four lanes (that’s most neighborhood and some in-town roads), you must stop at least ten feet from the bus no matter which lane you’re in. If the bus is stopped on a road that has four or more lanes (which can include a center lane or turning lane), only traffic going the same direction as the school bus has to stop.
It’s the responsibility of every driver to watch for school busses and help keep children safe. If you’re driving in the morning or mid-afternoon, or other hours kids may be going to or leaving school, it’s important to pay extra attention!
School bus accidents are usually the result of drivers tailgating school buses, driving impatiently, or not stopping soon enough when a bus turns on its lights and stops. When accidents with school buses occur, they most often injure the driver of the smaller vehicle, or the school bus driver. Fortunately, accidents that injure children and bystanders are less common, but they do happen.
Families that are affected by reckless driving deserve justice, and I can help you get it. If you’re a school bus driver, you may have a workers’ compensation claim. As a car accident lawyer with more than 40 Years of experience, I can help you and your family get the maximum restitution you deserve.
If you or your child has been in a school bus accident, I can help today! Call 877.944.4373 and I’ll Make Them Pay!®.
