NHTSA shares back-to-school driving safety tips
More than 1,000 people died in school transportation-related incidents from 2013 to 2022.
NHTSA data shows that 1,082 people died in school transportation-related crashes from 2013 to 2022, with 198 of those deaths being children age 18 or younger. Of these young victims, 40% were occupants of other vehicles, 38% were pedestrians, 18% were in school vehicles, 3% were bicyclists and 1% were on personal devices (skateboards, scooters, wheelchairs, etc.). Even more tragic is that 55% of the children killed in these incidents were between the ages of 5 and 10.
The most dangerous time for school-age pedestrians, NHTSA found, was from 3 p.m. to 3:59 p.m., when more of these children were killed than at any other time of the day. One-fifth of school-aged pedestrian deaths in these accidents were hit by a school vehicle that was traveling straight.
In light of these troubling statistics, the NHTSA shared the following tips to help prevent school transportation-related crashes, injuries and deaths.
School bus safety
When a school bus’s yellow lights are flashing, that is drivers’ que to slow down and prepare to stop. Drivers must come to a complete stop when the bus’s stop arm is extended and red lights are flashing. It is only safe to resume driving once the bus’s lights stop flashing and it has begun moving again.
Parents can teach their children the “SAFE” method for remembering bus stop safety:
- Stay at least ten feet from the curb.
- Always wait until the bus is completely stopped and the driver signals it is safe to board before heading toward the bus.
- Face forward after finding a seat on the bus.
- Exit the bus after it stops, and wait for the driver to signal that it is safe before crossing a road. Even with the driver’s signal, it’s imperative kids still take a moment to look left, then right, then left again before crossing a street. Always cross in front of the bus – never behind.
Bicycle safety
Drivers must give bicyclists enough room on the road to travel safely. This means not following cyclists too closely and taking extra care to look for bikes approaching when turning right on a red light. They should also yield to bicyclists in the same way they would to other motorists.
For those whose children ride their bikes to school, parents should teach them to:
- Always wear a properly fitting helmet with the chinstrap fastened.
- Use bike lanes when they’re available.
- Ride in the same direction as traffic and follow all traffic signs and signals.
- Never use electronics while riding their bicycle.
Pedestrian safety
While drivers should always be on the lookout for pedestrians, it is important to use extra caution in school zone and neighborhoods. Parents whose children walk to school should teach them to:
- Use sidewalks, or walk on the edge of the street facing traffic if there is no sidewalk.
- Use marked crosswalks and look in both directions before crossing the road.
- Never push, play or shove others around traffic.
- Put their phones away while walking so they can pay attention to their surroundings.
Teen driver safety
Some parents have reached the age where their children are able to drive themselves to school, and it’s important to emphasize these safety tips for their teen drivers:
- Put their phones away and do not use them while driving.
- Limit the number of passengers in their car to decrease distractions.
- Make sure all occupants in their vehicle are wearing their seatbelts before they begin moving.
- Follow all posted speed limits.