08/14/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/14/2024 08:27
The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urges everyone to be alert as children head back to school.
NHTSA reminds all drivers to watch out for children and follow all traffic laws, including speed limits in school zones, yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks, and not passing school buses when their lights are flashing and stop arms are extended.
"Tragedy can strike in a split second, so let's all be extra cautious as children head back to school," NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman said. "Parents, please talk to your kids, whether they ride a bus, bicycle, walk or drive to school. And all drivers, stay alert on the roads-it could save a life."
New NHTSA data shows that 104 people died in school-transportation-related crashes in 2022. From 2013 to 2022 more than 1,000 people died in school-transportation-related crashes, and 198 of those were children age 18 and younger. Of those children killed, 40% were occupants of other vehicles, 38% were pedestrians, 18% were occupants of school transportation vehicles, 3% were bicyclists, and 1% were using personal devices such as skateboards, scooters and wheelchairs.
NHTSA offers the following tips to drivers, parents, guardians, students and others to keep everyone safe as the new school year starts:
School Bus Safety
Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop when a school bus's yellow lights are flashing. Drivers must come to a full stop and wait when a bus's red lights are flashing and its stop-arm is extended. It is illegal to speed up and pass a bus as it slows to a stop with its yellow lights flashing or is stopped with its red lights flashing. Drivers may proceed only after the bus's lights have stopped flashing and the bus has begun moving again. Even when a bus doesn't have flashing lights, drivers should exercise caution for children who may be crossing unexpectedly.
Parents should teach their children to arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to be there and to play it SAFE:
Bicycle Safety
Drivers should give cyclists enough room on the road, being careful not to pass too closely, and look left-right-left and behind when turning right on red. Drivers should also yield to bicyclists as they would to motorists and be careful not to underestimate a bicyclist's speed.
Parents should teach their children to:
Pedestrian Safety
Drivers should always look out for pedestrians everywhere, follow the speed limit-especially in school zones and neighborhoods-and use extra caution at dark or in other hard-to-see conditions.
Parents should walk with their children who are 10 years old and younger and teach children to:
Teen Driver Safety
Parents of teens should set the example for safe driving and remind their teens to:
Child Car Seat and Vehicle Safety
Parents should make sure their children are protected in and around vehicles.
For more information on Back-to-School Safety, please visit NHTSA.gov/BacktoSchool. For more information on Teen Driving Safety, please visit NHTSA.gov/TeenDriving.