As Virginia students return to school this month, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is urging drivers to exercise caution around school buses and in school zones. More than one million students will be commuting by various means, including on foot, by bicycle, bus, or private vehicles.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, school buses are considered the safest way for students to travel to and from school. However, VDOT notes that children become vulnerable when walking to and from buses and during loading or unloading times. The department emphasizes that motorists should remain patient and attentive in these areas since children can be difficult to see.
State law prohibits passing a stopped school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign. All vehicles must stop regardless of their direction unless they are separated from the bus by a median or barrier. In such cases, drivers should still watch for students who may cross into their lanes.
Local governments have also started using safety cameras in some school zones to monitor speed during certain hours. These cameras are not installed by VDOT but aim to reduce speeding in these areas; violators may face fines.
VDOT offers several tips for both drivers and students:
Drivers should expect frequent stops by school buses, slow down when yellow lights flash, stay alert for students at bus stops or those arriving late who might run into the street unexpectedly, pay close attention near schools especially during morning and afternoon hours, avoid distractions while driving, and refrain from using electronic devices behind the wheel.
Students are advised to arrive at bus stops at least five minutes early without rushing, keep a safe distance from traffic while waiting for the bus, use sidewalks where available or walk facing traffic if none exist, cross streets at intersections or marked crosswalks after checking for cars in all directions, obey crossing guards and signals, check carefully before stepping off a bus into traffic lanes, keep eyes on the road while walking instead of focusing on electronic devices.
“School buses are the safest way for students to get to and from school,” according to VDOT. “However, when walking to and from the bus and while buses are loading and unloading students, they become vulnerable to injury.”
“In Virginia, it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign. This means the bus is picking up or dropping off students. All motorists must stop whether they are approaching from the front in an opposite lane or overtaking it from the rear,” VDOT stated.
The department encourages everyone sharing roads near schools this month—drivers as well as pedestrians—to prioritize safety throughout back-to-school season.
