The beginning of the school year means school buses will hit the streets in the next few weeks.
Almost 110,000 children ride one of the First State’s more than 1,600 school buses each day - and Delaware State Police is offering guidelines to parents for safe bus riding. It includes being familiar with each child’s bus driver and supervising their children as they walk to their bus stops.
Delaware State Police spokesman Sergeant Robert Bratz said parents should take charge of their children’s safety.
“Children as we know are less likely to follow safety practices and they can be unpredictable when they’re in a rush," said Bratz.
Bratz also suggests parents make sure they know how to get in touch with their school’s transportation director.
Last spring, Delaware school bus drivers conducted their fifth annual survey of illegal passes that vehicles have made while buses dropped off children. Drivers reported seeing 748 illegal passes, 19 of which were on the right side of the bus.
“It’s very important that people know that when they’re traveling in the same direction as a school bus on a four-lane divided road who must stop for a stopped school bus," said Bratz.
Drivers who pass a stopped bus can be fined as much as $230 for the first offense and $575 for the second offense. The individual will also have their license suspended between one and 12 months. Most children who die due to a bus-related crash are pedestrians who are hit by illegally passing vehicles.
