Ohio Traffic Safety Office Announces New School Bus Safety Public Awareness Campaign

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) -The Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO), a division of The Ohio Department of Public Safety, is introducing a new public awareness campaign to remind drivers about Ohio's school bus traffic safety laws. The message is focused on the school bus stop law, which requires drivers to stop for school buses when they are picking up or dropping off children.

As part of this campaign, OTSO is making educational materials available to schools, law enforcement, and other entities across the state in a promotional toolkit. Printed materials include a poster, 2-sided fact sheet, and rack card. The toolkit also includes social media content and an informational video produced by OTSO.

Data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol shows an increase in citations to drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus.

• In 2023, Troopers issued 735 citations to drivers who failed to stop for a school bus - an 18% increase from the year before.
• On average, Ohio State Highway Patrol Troopers issue 627 citations for this offense each year.

This campaign is one of the recommendations from Governor Mike DeWine's School Bus Safety Working Group, which released a full report with recommendations in January 2024. The Working Group is calling for improvements in public education opportunities, after a survey by the Ohio School Boards Association recommended that communities improve school bus safety messaging aimed at members of the public. The report also points out that other drivers are usually at fault in school bus crashes that result in injuries and fatalities.

The promotional toolkit is now available on the Ohio Traffic Safety Office website by visiting the "Stop Means Stop" page.

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As a division within the Ohio Department of Public Safety, the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) is dedicated to saving lives and preventing injuries on Ohio's roads by using creative leadership, innovative education and comprehensive enforcement programs. OTSO strives to work in partnership with local, state and federal entities to advance equity in highway safety programs, ensuring they benefit all road users in Ohio. For FFY2024, OTSO awarded over $23 million in federal funds to 135 Ohio agencies for statewide programming to improve traffic safety and reduce traffic-related fatalities. To learn more, visit www.otso.ohio.gov.