Know the laws regarding school buses
Last week, a 6-year-old student at Olney-Bissell elementary was sent to the hospital with serious injuries when she was hit by a car after getting off the school bus west of Whitefish.
According to officials, the girl had exited the bus with other students at a designated stop on U.S. 93 and was struck by an oncoming vehicle that failed to stop, even though the proper bus lights and stop signs were fully activated.
At last report, the girl was in critical condition at Montana Children’s in Kalispell, and according to her family, doctors say she has a long road to recovery.
The horrific incident is every parent’s worst nightmare, and one that could be totally preventable if every motorist respected traffic laws regarding school buses.
By law, bus drivers start notifying motorists when they are coming to a stop by turning on amber lights, which should be on 150 feet before a bus stops in the city, and 500 feet in other areas. A red light signals the bus is stopped, the doors are opening and children are present.
Both lanes of traffic must be stopped at this point — even on four-lane highways such as U.S. 93 South or Lasalle Road. In Montana, it is the law that motorists going either direction must stop for a school bus displaying red lights in a four-lane roadway unless the road is divided by a physical barrier such as a median, guardrail or drainage ditch.
The maximum fine for passing a school bus while the red lights are on is $500.
It’s also incumbent that guardians and students know the best practices for getting on and off the bus. The National Safety Council offers a few tips:
- Stand 6 feet (or three giant steps) away from the curb while waiting for the bus.
- Supervise young children.
- Cross in front of the bus — at least 10 feet (or five giant steps) — and make eye contact with the driver before crossing.
- Never walk behind the bus.
- If you drop something near the bus, do not pick it up; tell the bus driver instead.
- Wait until the bus has stopped and the door opens before approaching the bus or standing up on the bus.
Our thoughts are with the young girl recovering and her family, and we strongly implore all motorists to take the utmost precautions when encountering a school bus. Zipping around a slowing or stopped bus will only save seconds on the commute, while the consequences could haunt a child and their family for a lifetime. It’s simply not worth it.
To learn more about bus stop safety visit www.nsc.org/home-safety/tools-resources/seasonal-safety/back-to-school/bus