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Back to school safety tips for drivers

Drivers should obey the speed limit, follow at a safe distance, remain alert for children and share the road with school buses.

We are starting to see more buses on the road as students return to school across Central Texas. 

That means drivers should obey the speed limit, follow at a safe distance, remain alert for children and share the road with school buses during your morning and afternoon commutes. 

In the state of Texas if you see a school bus and it's actively loading or unloading passengers, you may face a fine up to $1,250 for the first offense. 

If caught doing it twice, you can lose your license. 

If you're driving on a two-lane road with no median and a bus turns on its flashing lights, you must stop -- no matter which direction you're headed.

If the road you're traveling has a center turning lane between lanes of traffic, same thing. Everyone stops once those flashing lights come on

Even when the road has four lanes, all traffic must stop for the school bus when its lights are flashing. 

The only time you can keep driving is when there's a median dividing the lanes. In this case, only the cars traveling the same direction as the bus need to stop.

The goal is too keep kids safe on their way to and from school. 

The Texas Department of Transportation also encourages parents to teach kids how to be safe near school buses.

Tips for students

  • Stand as far back from the curb as possible when you are waiting for a bus
  • Wait until the bus has come to a complete stop and watch for the driver to signal that it’s safe to board. Hold on to the handrail and find a seat quickly
  • Listen to the bus driver and sit still to avoid distracting the driver
  • After exiting the bus, cross only in front of the bus, never behind it. Make eye contact with the driver and wait for the driver’s signal that it is okay to cross. Look left-right-left and safely cross when there is no traffic or vehicles that have stopped

Tips for drivers sharing the road with school buses

  • Follow at a safe distance, keeping in mind that school buses make frequent stops.
  • Always remain alert for children around buses and remember that they may not always look for vehicles before crossing the street
  • Stop for flashing red lights or a stop sign on a school bus regardless of which direction you’re headed. Continue once the bus has moved, the flashing lights stop flashing or the bus driver signals it’s okay to pass

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