KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Kalamazoo Public School students are gearing up for their first day of school Tuesday morning, which means there will be many eager kids boarding buses, using crosswalks, and getting to classes one way or another.
Michigan State Police have released their school bus safety tips to make sure both students and drivers are safe on the roadways this year.
For drivers:
- Prepare to stop when a slowing bus has its overhead yellow lights flashing
- Stop at least 20 feet away for buses when red lights are flashing, unless driving in the opposite direction on a divided highway
- Slow down in or near school and residential areas
- Look for clues-such as safety patrols, crossing guards, bicycles, and playgrounds-that indicate children might be in the area
- Watch for children between parked cars and other objects
For students:
- Always stay in sight of the bus driver
- Don’t hurry off the bus; check traffic first
- Don’t go back to the bus after exiting
AAA also launched their “School’s Open- Drive Carefully” campaign. Statistics show that over 1.5 million children across Michigan will head back to school, with 10% of those children typically walking or biking to their classes.
AAA Spokesperson Adrienne Woodland says drivers must be especially alert immediately before and after school hours. She says, over the last decade, nearly one in four child pedestrian fatalities occurred between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
They released their list of how to ensure a fun and safe school year:
- Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster.
- Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods.
- Eliminate distractions. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing.
- Reverse responsibly. Every vehicle has blind spots. Check for children on the sidewalk, in the driveway and around your vehicle before slowly backing up.
- Watch for bicycles. Children on bikes are often inexperienced, unsteady and unpredictable.
- Talk to your teen. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States.
