With school well under way all across Carlton County, most students have their safe bus protocol down pat. And if they need reminding, students are the focus of this week's National School Bus Safety Week theme of "Be Aware! Cross with Care!"
As much as kids need safety reminders, one would think drivers would know by now to yield and stop for school buses and kids as they scamper on and off. Unfortunately, that was not the case in the Barnum area last week.
As a kindergartner made the short journey from his mother's side at the end of his driveway to the bus, a driver behind the bus neglected to see, or flat out ignored, the flashing stop sign on the swing arm of the bus and proceeded around it.
It's chilling to think of what tragedy could ensue due to that person's carelessness. Approximately 54 percent of all K-12 students in the country ride yellow school buses and everyone counts on the safety laws put in place to keep those students safe.
While school bus laws vary somewhat from state to state, they are not new. Since the mid-1940s, traffic laws have been in place requiring motorists to stop for school buses while children are loading or unloading.
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Once motorists are stopped, they should remain stopped until the stop sign is retracted, the flashing lights turned off, and the bus begins rolling.
Reflective striping, LED and strobe lights were added to many buses in the 1980s and 1990s, making it even easier for motorists to see them.
Even if you don't know the particular traffic laws regarding school buses, if you come upon one stopped in the road, with lights flashing and stop sign displayed, please just stop.
School bus drivers are trained to expect the unexpected from motorists - but they can't be responsible for your behavior.
Lisa Baumann
