ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Now that school is back in session for Western North Carolina districts, you’ll be seeing a lot more busses on the road.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, school buses are one of the safest school transportation options for children, accounting for less than one percent of all traffic fatalities nationwide. However, the N.C. Department of Transporation (NCDOT) reports in 2023 there were 1,079 crashes involving school buses, resulting in 683 injuries and six deaths in North Carolina.
NCDOT says drivers should learn the flashing signal light system that school buses use to telegraph their actions:
Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. Drivers must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.
Other tips for drivers include:
- When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school.
- When driving in neighborhoods with school zones, watch out for young people who may be thinking about getting to school, but may not be thinking of getting there safely.
- Watch for children walking in the street, especially if the road contains no sidewalks.
- Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops.
- Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
CLICK HERE for more school bus safety tips and information from NCDOT.
The Asheville Police Department also posted a helpful informational graph to Facebook HERE.
And, check out our back-to-school coverage below:
- It’s back to class for Asheville City, Buncombe County schools
- Back to school: Social media safety tips
- Back to school: Plenty of bus drivers on deck
- Back to school: Time to get kids up to date on vaccines
- App will let parents track their kids’ school buses
- It’s back to school for Henderson, several WNC counties
- How families can get ready for a new school year
- Follow form and function when outfitting dorm rooms
