McClain Stresses the Importance of School Bus Safety Week

COLUMBUS – National School Bus Safety Week is October 16-20. State Rep. Riordan McClain (R-Upper Sandusky), Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, reminds motorists to familiarize themselves with school bus laws.  

“To protect students, bus drivers, and motorists, it is crucial that school bus laws are followed,” said McClain. “Students should be sure to look both ways when getting off the bus, and motorists should adhere to traffic laws. It’s a team effort to ensure everyone gets to and from school safely.”

School bus safety reminders:

If a bus is stopped on a street with four or more lanes, only traffic going in the same direction as the bus must stop.
Motorists must stop no less than 10 feet behind a school bus.
When the red lights on a bus flash, vehicles must be fully stopped, even if the stop sign arm is not extended on the side of the bus.
Do not pass a school bus unless the bus driver signals you to do so.
 

Since 2018, there have been 6,298 school bus-related traffic crashes in Ohio, resulting in eight fatalities, in which one was a school bus occupant, and 1,982 injuries, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.