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Keeping kids safe: Highway patrol performs bus inspections to prepare for a new school year
Getting ready for school to start is a busy time of year for teachers, parents and students.
While preparing supplies, schedules and other back-to-school needs, adults and children also need to think about school bus safety. To ensure that school vehicles will load, transport and unload students safely, Kansas Highway Patrol troopers are inspecting school buses and other vehicles across the state for compliance with safety regulations.
KHP troopers began visiting each school district across the state this week to inspect the mechanical conditions and equipment of nearly 9,000 school vehicles. A bus that passes the inspection will display a yellow sticker of approval in the corner of the windshield. Buses that do not comply with safety regulations cannot be used to transport students until all defects are corrected and a trooper re-inspects the vehicle, a KHP statement said Tuesday.
Last year, KHP personnel inspected 9,546 school vehicles, the statement said.
"Inspecting school buses every year is an important task for the Kansas Highway Patrol, because it helps ensure that children will be transported to and from school in reliable school vehicles," KHP Superintendent Col. Terry Maple said. "However, it is equally important that parents and children talk about school bus safety, including watching for traffic and safely getting on and off the bus."
KHP offers the following safety tips for parents, children and motorists before the beginning of the school year:
* Do not hurry to get on or off the bus. Get to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
* When the bus approaches, stand at least five giant steps away from the curb, and line up away from the street.
* Wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver declares that it is safe before stepping onto the bus. Use handrails to avoid falls. Be careful that clothes, shoelaces, book bags, or other items do not get caught on the handrail or door of the bus.
* Adults and children who have to cross the street in front of the bus should walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road at least five giant steps (10 feet) ahead of the bus before crossing in front of it. Remain visible to the bus driver, and make sure that the driver is also visible. Never walk behind the bus, and walk at least three giant steps away from the side of the bus.
* Children should stop at the bus' edge and look both ways twice for oncoming traffic before crossing the street. Kids must learn the importance of watching for traffic before getting off the bus or crossing the street, because drivers may not see them.
* Adults or children who drop something should tell the driver and wait to make sure the driver understands before trying to pick it up. The driver may not see a child bending down. In addition, a child is less likely to drop something in traffic if he or she carries school supplies in a backpack.
* Obey the bus driver, sit facing forward in the seat, use an "inside voice," and do not stick anything out the windows.
* When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, drivers should watch out for children walking or riding a bicycle to school.
* When driving in neighborhoods with school zones, watch for young people who may be thinking about getting to school, but may not be thinking about getting there safely.
* Slow down. Watch for children congregating near bus stops.
* Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
* Know that it is illegal to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload students. In Kansas, the fine for this potentially deadly violation is $300 plus court costs.
* Learn the flashing signal light system that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions. Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop. Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm indicates the bus is stopped and that children are getting on or off the bus. Motorists must stop and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended sign is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before starting to drive again.