School is back in session. That means more morning traffic, including the return of school buses to our roadways. That also means all of us need to be a little more patient, and a lot more careful.
Planning to leave a little earlier is one good step, especially if you have to be somewhere during those morning hours before school is in session, or in the afternoon when parents are doing pick-up.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the hours before and after school are the most dangerous times for students on the road.
The truth, though, is that in an accident with a school bus, it’s more likely to be you that doesn’t make it than the children. According to the NTSB “less than one percent of all traffic fatalities involve students” riding buses, and 70 percent of deaths in bus-related crashes are the occupants of other vehicles.
It also means being more aware of the reduced speed limit in school zones, keeping your eyes open for walkers in town, and watching for kids waiting on the bus out in the country.
In Grayson, new turn lanes in front of Prichard Elementary – as well as a morning police presence – should help alleviate congestion there. But drivers still need to be aware of the traffic and, if you can’t be late, plan to leave earlier or find alternate routes.
Back to school traffic safety also means paying attention to buses when they are loading and unloading, and stopping when they have their flashers on, and their stop sign out. According to data from an NTSB blog, the American School Bus Council reports that nearly two thirds of school bus loading and unloading fatalities are caused by vehicles attempting to pass a bus.
Never, ever pass a bus that’s loading or unloading, no matter which direction you are going.
As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reminds drivers: yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to stop for loading or unloading, red flashing lights and an extended stop arm indicates the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off, and even when lights aren’t flashing drivers should watch for children – particularly in the hours before and after school.
Another thing to be aware of is student drivers. If you drive near the high schools, or stop at one of the gas stations on the route there, be mindful of student drivers as well. We all know young drivers are often more prone to accidents than more experienced drivers, but Kentucky has one of the highest teen driver death rates in the nation. According to an analysis of NHTSA statistics from 1982 to 2020 the commonwealth had more than 71 deaths per 100,000 people for teen drivers.
So, slow down. Leave early. Watch the speed limit. Watch for buses. Watch for walkers. And be aware of all the cars on the road around you – particularly those driven by teenagers trying to avoid a tardy slip.
Any driver, young or old, can be prone to distraction, but none of us want to be the reason a young person doesn’t make it to class.
