SCHOOL BUS SAFETY
An estimated 25 million students ride school buses daily. Bus-related injuries may happen as children board and exit the bus due to the driver's blind spot, which extends about 10 feet around the bus. Children may not be aware of this blind spot and may mistakenly believe that if they can see the bus, the bus driver can see them.
 According to Minnesota Motor Vehicle Crash Facts: |
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 There were 680 traffic crashes involving at least one school bus in Minnesota in 2007. |
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In 2007, there were seven fatal school bus crashes resulting in eight deaths. Six of the fatalities were in other vehicles. Two of the fatalities were pedestrians. One of the pedestrians was a 5-year-old who fell off the curb and was struck by the bus. |
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Although there were 680 school bus crashes in 2007, a few involved more than one school bus. In all there were 693 school buses in crashes. For 48% of the school bus drivers, officer reports showed there was no clear contributing factor. The two contributing factors cited most often were driver inattention or distraction (21%), and failure to yield right of way (16%). The third most frequently cited contributing factor was illegal or improper speed (8%). |
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Sixty-three percent of school bus crashes occurred during the hours of 6:00 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. |
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Only 2% of the crashes occurred when the school bus stop arm was deployed. However, eight injuries occurred in crashes where the school bus stop arm was in use. |
The Minnesota Safety Council and Safe Kids Minnesota offer these guidelines to help parents and children stay safe:
A child's behavior at the bus stop is an important aspect of school bus safety. While waiting for the bus, kids should stay out of the street. If walking in front of the bus, children should make eye contact with the driver and take five giant steps (10 ft.) in front of the bus before crossing.
While on the bus, children should observe the following safety rules: |
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Remain seated at all times and keep the aisles clear. |
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Don't throw objects. Don't shout or distract the driver unnecessarily. |
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Keep your head and arms inside the bus at all times. |
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