COLUMBUS – Eight people, including one student, have been killed in more than 6,000 crashes involving school buses in Ohio since 2018.
That is why the Ohio State Highway Patrol is observing National School Bus Safety Week through Oct. 20 by cracking down on violations like passing a stopped bus and speeding in a school zone.
This year’s theme is “BEEP! BEEP! School bus safety starts with me,” a reminder to motorists and students about the dangers that exist outside the school bus.
“Drivers are required to stop for school buses loading and unloading passengers. However, children must always check both ways and proceed with caution when crossing the roadway,” said patrol superintendent Col. Charles Jones.
“School bus safety is a shared responsibility,” Gov. Mike DeWine said.
Under Ohio law, once a bus comes to a complete stop, red flashing lights and a stop sign are displayed and drivers approaching from either direction are required to stop at least 10 feet from the bus.
When a road is divided into four or more lanes, only traffic driving in the same direction as the bus must stop until the bus starts moving again.
Since 2018, there has been a total of 6,298 school bus-related traffic crashes in Ohio, resulting in eight fatalities, one of which was a student on a school bus.
School buses are required to be inspected once before the beginning of the school year and again randomly during the year to ensure the bus is operating properly.