‘Flashing Red’ gives reminder about school buses
The annual Flashing Red, Kids Ahead campaign is reminding all drivers that with the start of a new school year school buses will be back on the roads picking up and dropping off students.
The campaign is put on by the Arkansas Department of Education, Arkansas Association of Pupil Transportation and Arkansas School Bus Mechanics.
“The safety of our children is the highest priority we have in the transportation department,” said Benton School District Transportation Director Danny Revis.
Revis said when a school bus has its red lights flashing, vehicles must stop because it is loading or unloading students.
He wants drivers to be more aware. He also encourages parents to talk to their children about school bus safety.
The fines and penalties for drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus were dramatically increased in 2015 with the passage of Isaac’s Law, named for a Bryant student who lost his life due to a
driver illegally passing a bus.
The law says when a school bus vehicle stops and displays the alternating red warning lights to load or unload passengers motor vehicles meeting or overtaking the bus from any direction must stop. Revis said the law added now that the vehicle must stop 30 feet from the bus.
Vehicles are prohibited from starting up or attempting to pass in any direction until the bus has finished loading or unloading and is in motion again.
The fines for violating the law can range from $250 to $1,000 and be confined to county jail for up to 90 days. The driver of the vehicle can also be found guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
Revis said when drivers see yellow hazard lights it means the bus is about to stop to load or unload. They turn those on 300 feet before stopping.
When a bus is loading or unloading the red lights flash, a stop sign extends and stop arm extends to ensure any child crossing the road passes at least 10 feet in front of the bus. The lights will shut off after the driver has determined the child has safely left the roadway.
“That signals it is safe to proceed driving,” Revis said.
Revis is encouraging parents to talk with their children about how to stay safe on the bus and during loading and unloading. He wants them to talk about loading and unloading in an orderly manner, finding their assigned seat quickly, staying in their seats, keeping their hands to themselves, talking in a normal voice and keeping all body parts inside the bus.
They should tell their child not to walk parallel to the bus when unloading but to walk away from the bus and remain in the driver’s eyesight.
Revis said they choose stop locations that are safe and have most of the stops on the door side of the bus. They try to avoid having children cross the road.
Revis encouraged drivers to be more cautious when the seasons change and it is dark during loading and unloading times.
In rural areas, he suggested students use flashlights to let school bus drivers know where they are when its dark by turning on the lights when they see the bus.
Revis said if drivers see a child waiting in the morning they can expect a school bus will most likely be stopping soon.
He advises drivers to be patient, especially for the first few weeks as routes are getting set. He said they should consider leaving early to ensure they can get where they need to be on time even with the buses running.
Revis also asks parents to be patient for the first few weeks while they figure out what stops need to be added and removed so they can settle the schedule. He asked that children be at their stops five to 10 minutes early for the first two weeks.
He stressed the need for patience around Caldwell Elementary where there is construction. Both buses and parents dropping off and picking up children will be using the same entrants and exits.
Revis said the district disinfects each bus after each trip with a spray gun and wipe down rails and seats.
Revis said children are the most precious cargo and it is everyone on the road’s responsibility to ensure they get to school safely each day.