School bus safety reviewed
Staples-Motley School District buses many more students to school than most school districts. The main reason is out of concern for the traffic on Highway 10 in Motley and how busy 4th Street is in Staples.
In partnership with Region Five, we are applying for a Safe Routes to School Grant through the Minnesota Department of Transportation to find safe alternative routes for our students to walk and bike to school safely. We depend on the public to know when they are to slow down and drive with caution and when they must stop when either following or meeting a bus.
Motorists who know and follow school bus safety laws are our best partners in keeping our students safe. Please remember:
o Be alert! Children arriving late for the bus may dart onto the road without looking for traffic.
o Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles. When in doubt, STOP!
o Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and that children are getting on or off the bus. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign is withdrawn and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.
During School Bus Safety week teachers review with students actions that will keep them safe. I would like to urge parents to have the following discussions with their children:
o When the bus approaches, students should stand at least six feet away from the curb, and line up away from the road;
o Wait until the bus stops and the door opens before boarding the bus;
o If a student must cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road to a point at least 10 feet ahead of the bus before crossing. Be sure that the bus driver can see the student and the student can see the bus driver.
o When exiting the bus, walk at least six feet from the bus after exiting. Be careful that clothing with a drawstring and book bags with straps don’t’ get caught in the handrails or doors.
o A student should always tell a bus driver if they drop something near the bus. They should never try to pick it up because the driver may not be able to see the student.
o Never walk behind the bus.
When it comes to bus safety, we all need to work together to make sure everyone knows the current bus safety laws so our students arrive to school safely.
