FACT SHEET

• School buses are nearly eight times safer than passenger vehicles.
• Approximately 440,000 public school buses navigate roads and highways in the United States each year, traveling 4.3 billion miles.
• The Tennessee Department of Safety's Pupil Transportation Division, part of the Highway Patrol, inspects school buses in school districts across Tennessee annually. During the 2005-2006 school year, 9,446 buses were inspected. In 2004-2005, 11,623 were inspected, and in 2003-2004, 12,032 were inspected.
• All school bus drivers in Tennessee must attend an annual training course in order to receive and maintain the school bus endorsement on their Driver Licenses. During the 2005-2006 school year, 9,928 drivers received training. In 2004-2005, 11,152 completed the course and in 2004-2005, 12,158 took the course.
• Approximately 26 students were killed and another 9,000 were injured in incidents involving school buses last year. Most deaths and injuries occurred as children were entering or exiting the bus. Most of the children killed are ages five to seven years old. Source: National Safety Council (NSC)
• In Tennessee , it is illegal to pass a school bus that has activated its red flashing lights or has extended its stop sign.
• Since August 11, 2006, Troopers have issued 2,873 citations. 890 citations have been written to drivers in school zones or around school buses, 810 drivers were ticketed for speeding in a school zone and 20 drivers were cited for improperly passing a school bus. Non-moving violations resulted in 1,983 citations, including 117 for not using proper child safety restraints and 788 for failure to wear safety belts.
• In 2005, the Tennessee Highway Patrol issued 3,243 citations in school zones across the state. Of those citations, 60 were issued to drivers who illegally passed school buses. In 2004, 2,716 citations were issued, 44 for illegally passing a bus. In 2003, there were 1,808 citations issued, including 26 for illegally passing a school bus.

SAFETY TIPS

FOR CHILDREN--GETTING ON AND OFF THE BUS SAFELY:

• Get to the bus stop in plenty of time and have a safe place to wait for your bus, away from traffic and the street.
• Always remain in direct eyesight of the bus driver.
• Always follow the driver's directions for how and when to cross the street.
• Be alert to traffic and look both ways.
• Always cross in front of the bus, but only when the bus driver signals it is safe to do so.
• Take 10 giant steps back from the curb while waiting for the bus and 10 steps when exiting the bus.
• When exiting, look before stepping off the bus to be sure no cars are passing on the shoulder (side of the road).
  Move away from the bus.
• Never try to get anything left on the bus after exiting.
• Never reach underneath the bus.

FOR PARENTS:

• Supervise children to make sure they get to the stop on time, wait far away from the road and avoid rough play.
• Teach your child to ask the driver for help if he/she drops something near the bus. If a child bends down to pick up something, the driver cannot see him/her and the child may be hit by the bus. Have your child use a backpack or book bag to keep loose items together.
• Make sure clothing and backpacks have no loose drawstrings or long straps that could get caught in the handrail or bus door.
• Encourage safe school bus loading and unloading.
• If you think a bus stop is in a dangerous place, talk with your school office or transportation director about changing the location.

FOR DRIVERS:

• Yellow flashing lights on the bus indicate that it is preparing to stop and load or unload children. This means cars need to slow down and prepare to stop.
• It is illegal to pass a school bus with its red flashing lights and stop signal arm activated. Vehicles may not pass until the flashing red lights and signals are turned off or when the bus driver motions them through.
• Vehicles traveling in the same direction as the bus are always required to stop.
• Vehicles moving in the opposite direction as the bus are also required to stop unless they are on a divided highway.
• Never pass on the right side of the bus where children are entering and exiting. This is illegal and can have tragic results!

The Tennessee Department of Safety's mission is (www.tennessee.gov/safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.