Back to School Tampa Bay: Sharing the Road Safely with School Buses
It’s back to school time and that means it’s the time of year to share the road with school buses. Cases of cars speeding past stopped school buses are on the rise. Reports show hundreds of cars are passing stopped buses each day. This puts the children getting on and off the buses in danger and at risk of being hit by a car.
It is important for drivers to remember the rules for sharing the road with school buses. Drivers should never pass a school bus on the right or left when the red stop lights are flashing. Pinellas County now has small cameras on the side of their buses to catch footage of drivers passing school buses. These types of cameras are only being used in 15 states. Pinellas County is hoping to see more drivers being cited as a result of their actions. They hope for change and are making efforts to educate drivers on sharing the road with buses.
There is also a high occurrence of vehicles speeding in school zones. Most school zones have a posted speed limit of 15mph when the lights are flashing. The lights typically flash during the peak times before and after school when children are walking to and from school.
Drivers need to stay alert when driving near buses and driving through school zones. Be on the lookout for the flashing lights on the bus and on the school zone street signs. Be on the lookout for children who may be crossing the street or walking near the bus.
Parents should talk with their children about staying alert too. Children should watch the bus driver and the road to ensure it is safe to cross the street. When walking to and from school, children should remember to keep their cell phones in their bookbag or pocket so they can stay alert at all times.
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, call Personal Injury Attorney Chelsie M. Lamie at 727-501-3464 for a free consultation. You can also learn more about Attorney Lamie by visiting www.chelsielamie.com.
To read more about sharing the road with school buses, click here:
Keeping Students Safe: Deputies to crack down on drivers speeding past school buses
Pinellas County to track drivers and top locations where people pass stopped school buses
First day of school has arrived, so don’t forget the school bus traffic rules
Road rules and traffic hot spots to help drivers transition to a new school year