August 28, 2012
Rock Island, Illinois - With the current school year underway Johannes Bus Service, Inc. (JBS) would like to remind everyone to be watching out for the yellow bus and the children that are ever present when a school bus is around. "A study done by the U.S. Department of Transportation states that children are safer riding the school bus to and from school than being driven in a car by an adult", says Stephanie Johannes-Thomer, JBS Marketing Director. "But, that doesn't mean we should relax when we see a yellow school bus approaching; here are some quick and easy lessons to remember when around a school bus."
Never pass a school bus on the right side, not only is it illegal, but it is extremely dangerous; students exit from the right and buses are not always able to move over to the curb.
Yellow means caution and SLOW DOWN; when you see a bus turn on their yellow flashers it means they will be stopping very soon to pick up or drop off a child, so be on ALERT.
Red means STOP; when the red flashers come and the stop arm comes out, a child will be entering or exiting the bus. And as a driver of a car, you need to be alert as to where that child is going. If a child is going to cross, they normally do so immediately after exiting, BUT please be aware where that child is at all times. You never know when a child is going to dart back out into traffic. And a friendly reminder to those who try to pass while the red flashers are on and the stop arm is out; it is ILLEGAL and you could be ticketed, even if a police officer isn't present. Let's try to reduce those numbers and keep our children safe from harm.
Railroad crossings are also tricky; school buses MUST also stop and open their door to look and listen for on coming trains. Please pay attention so as not to rear end a bus that is stopped at the tracks.
The Danger Zone should be something all children and adults know, if you are within 10 giant steps of the school bus, the driver can not see you. So, it is important all children know this.
In general just be aware of school bus routes in your area; be patient when driving during the morning and afternoon hours when buses are running their routes. Most routes in the Rock Island/Milan and Moline areas are door to door, so there are a lot of stops that are taking place. And for our outlying areas in Mercer County, please be aware of school bus stops along the highways! We do have many of those stops as well. Just know when you see YELLOW (the school bus) slow down!
Other important items:
· National School Bus Safety Week is: October 22-26, 2012 hosted by National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), National School Transportation Association (NSTA), National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) and the American School Bus Council
· February is "Love the Bus" Month - a month dedicated to raise awareness and appreciation for the hundreds of thousands of school bus drivers who safely transport children to school and from school sponsored by the American School Bus Council www.lovethebus.com
· School Bus Safety Coloring Pages - click on the Bus Safety Tab www.johannesbus.com
Rock Island, Illinois - With the current school year underway Johannes Bus Service, Inc. (JBS) would like to remind everyone to be watching out for the yellow bus and the children that are ever present when a school bus is around. "A study done by the U.S. Department of Transportation states that children are safer riding the school bus to and from school than being driven in a car by an adult", says Stephanie Johannes-Thomer, JBS Marketing Director. "But, that doesn't mean we should relax when we see a yellow school bus approaching; here are some quick and easy lessons to remember when around a school bus."
Never pass a school bus on the right side, not only is it illegal, but it is extremely dangerous; students exit from the right and buses are not always able to move over to the curb.
Yellow means caution and SLOW DOWN; when you see a bus turn on their yellow flashers it means they will be stopping very soon to pick up or drop off a child, so be on ALERT.
Red means STOP; when the red flashers come and the stop arm comes out, a child will be entering or exiting the bus. And as a driver of a car, you need to be alert as to where that child is going. If a child is going to cross, they normally do so immediately after exiting, BUT please be aware where that child is at all times. You never know when a child is going to dart back out into traffic. And a friendly reminder to those who try to pass while the red flashers are on and the stop arm is out; it is ILLEGAL and you could be ticketed, even if a police officer isn't present. Let's try to reduce those numbers and keep our children safe from harm.
Railroad crossings are also tricky; school buses MUST also stop and open their door to look and listen for on coming trains. Please pay attention so as not to rear end a bus that is stopped at the tracks.
The Danger Zone should be something all children and adults know, if you are within 10 giant steps of the school bus, the driver can not see you. So, it is important all children know this.
In general just be aware of school bus routes in your area; be patient when driving during the morning and afternoon hours when buses are running their routes. Most routes in the Rock Island/Milan and Moline areas are door to door, so there are a lot of stops that are taking place. And for our outlying areas in Mercer County, please be aware of school bus stops along the highways! We do have many of those stops as well. Just know when you see YELLOW (the school bus) slow down!
Other important items:
· National School Bus Safety Week is: October 22-26, 2012 hosted by National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), National School Transportation Association (NSTA), National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) and the American School Bus Council
· February is "Love the Bus" Month - a month dedicated to raise awareness and appreciation for the hundreds of thousands of school bus drivers who safely transport children to school and from school sponsored by the American School Bus Council www.lovethebus.com
· School Bus Safety Coloring Pages - click on the Bus Safety Tab www.johannesbus.com
