12/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/08/2024 16:34
This month, as nearly 1.5 million students return to classrooms across North Carolina, Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey is reminding everyone to keep safety in mind when walking, driving or riding the bus to school.
While students on traditional calendars will go back to school on Aug. 26, students at year-round schools and some charter schools have already started boarding buses and have headed back to class.
"We all have an important role to play in keeping our children safe," said Commissioner Causey. "Drivers need to be on the lookout for crowded crosswalks and school buses on the road and parents need to talk to their children about the importance of traveling to school safely. It only takes one mistake to cause a tragic injury or death to a child."
Statistics highlight the need for a call to action. On a typical day, more than 14,000 school buses carrying nearly 800,000 students operate on North Carolina roads.
According to USDOT, there were 1,075 crashes involving school buses in 2022, the latest totals available. A total of 786 people were injured and eight people died. There were also 5,189 charges for speeding in a school zone and 968 charges for failure to stop for a stopped bus.
In addition to the safety concerns these charges carry, they also hold repercussions to motorists' auto insurance premiums. Passing a stopped school bus can result in the motorist adding four insurance points to their policy and potentially doubling their auto insurance premiums.
When driving, if you see a school bus with lights flashing, slow down and prepare to stop.
Commissioner Causey offers these safety tips as students and teachers head back to school:
For pedestrians:
For bike riders:
For bus riders:
For motorists, in addition to obeying the stopped school bus law:
NC Department of Insurance Press Release