Counties Raise Awareness For National School Bus Safety Week
As part of National School Bus Safety Week, the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) in collaboration with the New York State County Executives Association (NYSCEA), are calling attention to school bus safety and the actions individuals can take to keep children safe while riding the bus.
Held during the third full week of October each year, National School Bus Safety Week is an opportunity for parents, students, teachers, motorists, school bus operators, school administrators, to address the importance of school bus safety.
“As children are heading back to school and adjusting to all sorts of new safety procedures, we wanted to take time this month to raise awareness about an area that can often be overlooked, school bus safety,” said NYSCEA President Marcus Molinaro. “Every year, far too many drivers are caught recklessly endangering our children by refusing to stop for school bus stop arms. While we can and will work to lower those numbers, we must also guide our community to minimize risks and keep our children safe.”
Though students are 70 times more likely to arrive at school alive when they take the bus as opposed to a car, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), children are particularly vulnerable when approaching or disembarking from a school bus.
“While school busses are an incredibly safe way for our children to reach school every day, it's critical to ensure that children are safe when they are approaching or getting off of the bus,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario. “New York's counties are working more closely than ever before to protect the safety of our residents, whether that's fighting a global pandemic, or working to keep kids safe at the local bus stop.”
More than 25 million children ride the yellow bus every school day, and National School Bus Safety Week serves as a reminder for students, parents, teachers, and the community to keep school bus safety in the forefront. Here are tips to keep our children safe at the bus stop.
For more school bus safety tips visit https://www.napt.org/nsbsw.
Held during the third full week of October each year, National School Bus Safety Week is an opportunity for parents, students, teachers, motorists, school bus operators, school administrators, to address the importance of school bus safety.
“As children are heading back to school and adjusting to all sorts of new safety procedures, we wanted to take time this month to raise awareness about an area that can often be overlooked, school bus safety,” said NYSCEA President Marcus Molinaro. “Every year, far too many drivers are caught recklessly endangering our children by refusing to stop for school bus stop arms. While we can and will work to lower those numbers, we must also guide our community to minimize risks and keep our children safe.”
Though students are 70 times more likely to arrive at school alive when they take the bus as opposed to a car, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), children are particularly vulnerable when approaching or disembarking from a school bus.
“While school busses are an incredibly safe way for our children to reach school every day, it's critical to ensure that children are safe when they are approaching or getting off of the bus,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario. “New York's counties are working more closely than ever before to protect the safety of our residents, whether that's fighting a global pandemic, or working to keep kids safe at the local bus stop.”
More than 25 million children ride the yellow bus every school day, and National School Bus Safety Week serves as a reminder for students, parents, teachers, and the community to keep school bus safety in the forefront. Here are tips to keep our children safe at the bus stop.
- Have children carry all belongings in a backpack or school bag so they won't drop things along the way.
- Wear bright, contrasting colors so they will be more easily seen by drivers.
- Ensure children leave home on time so they can arrive at the bus stop early to provent running after or in front of a bus.
- Walk young children to the bus stop or encourage children to walk in groups. There is safety in numbers; groups are easier for drivers to see.
- Warn children that if they drop something getting on and off the bus, they should never pick it up. Instead, they should tell the driver and follow the driver's instructions.
- Remind children to look to the right before they step off the bus
For more school bus safety tips visit https://www.napt.org/nsbsw.
Contact Us
New York State Association of Counties
515 Broadway, Suite 402
Albany, NY 12207
Phone: (518) 465-1473
Fax: (518) 465-0506