MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—National School Bus Safety Week begins Monday, October 21 and runs through Friday, October 25. During this time, the Ohio State Highway Patrol will increase enforcement efforts regarding school bus violations. These violations include passing a stopped school bus, school zone violations and other school bus or school zone-related activity.
National School Bus Safety Week is supported by the National Association for Pupil Transportation and serves as a reminder to motorists, students and school bus drivers of the important role they all have in ensuring children’s safety. This year’s theme is “Safety First – Safety Always,” a unique reminder to both motorists and students about the dangers that exist outside the school bus.
“School Bus Safety Week serves as an important reminder that keeping Ohio’s children safe as they travel to and from school requires a collective effort,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “I encourage all drivers, parents, and students to stay vigilant, follow traffic laws, and work together to ensure everyone gets to their destinations safely.”
Prior to stopping, school buses display yellow warning lights that signify the bus is about to stop. Once a bus comes to a complete stop, red flashing lights and a stop sign are displayed. Motorists approaching a stopped school bus from either direction are required to stop at least 10 feet from the bus while the bus driver is receiving or discharging students. When a road is divided into four or more lanes, only traffic driving in the same direction as the bus must stop. Drivers may not resume their travels until the bus starts moving.
“The Ohio State Highway Patrol is committed to ensuring the safety of students who rely on school transportation every day,” said Colonel Charles A. Jones, Patrol superintendent. “While drivers are legally required to stop for school buses when children are boarding or exiting, it is just as important for students to look both ways and cross the road with caution.”
Since 2019, there has been a total of 6,415 school bus-related traffic crashes in Ohio, resulting in eight fatalities and 2,064 injuries. One of the eight killed was an occupant of a school bus. During that time, troopers have issued more than 16,500 citations for passing a stopped school bus and other school zone violations.
Additionally, school buses are required to be inspected twice a year to ensure the bus is operating properly. Every bus used to transport students is inspected before the beginning of the school year and once randomly during the year. Since 2019, the Ohio State Highway Patrol has performed more than 200,000 inspections.