Countywide : Auto Club Gives Tips on School Bus Safety

The Automobile Club of Southern California is warning children and their parents about the hazards associated with riding school buses. More than 750 students were injured in school-bus-related accidents in California last year.

“Students are injured most often when the school bus approaches or leaves a loading area,” said Chuck Kurtz, manager of the Automobile Club’s Anaheim office. “Incidents usually occur when children near the bus move out of the driver’s line of sight. This might happen when they bend down to pick up a dropped article, or walk behind the bus or where they can’t be seen by the driver.”

Kurtz offered the following safety tips for school bus riders and their parents:

* Wait for the bus in a safe area well off the roadway.

* Do not engage in horseplay, which could cause someone to fall or be pushed into the path of a vehicle.

* Remain seated while the bus is in motion.

* Keep the aisles clear, and do not leave lunch boxes or other items where someone might trip over them.

* Make sure children know it is dangerous to throw objects inside the bus or out the window.

* If children need to cross the street after leaving the bus, they should walk in front of the bus in view of the driver.

The Automobile Club also offered these safety tips for motorists:

* Obey posted speed limits in school zones.

* Be alert to directions from school crossing guards.

* When a school bus is loading or unloading children, motorists must remain stopped until the bus driver turns off the stop lights or signals for motorists to proceed.