The Council on Rural Services and Kids Learning Place takes this opportunity to recognize and thank all bus drivers during this year’s National School Bus Safety Week from Oct. 19 to 24. The theme for this year’s National Safety Week is “Be Smart – Be Seen. I wait in a safe place!”
The Council on Rural Services appreciate its organizations 16 Head Start bus drivers and others that are trusted each day with approximately 1,200 young children in the nine counties where the programs transport children to pre-school; the drivers know and believe that the safety of the children is the essential rule. The council salutes its drivers for their “every day matters” commitment through their attention to regulations, bus maintenance and training.
Bus safety must be a serious subject for bus drivers and every motorist on the road. The time when the children are getting on and off the bus is the greatest risk; bus drivers and motorists must be aware of the safety rules.
Drivers must observe all school bus rules; when a bus is approaching a loading or unloading zone, the flashing yellow lights mean caution because the bus will be stopping. The flashing red lights and stop arm mean stop – no exceptions. Motorists are required to stop at least 10 feet from the front or rear of a stopped school bus that is displaying flashing red lights and not resume until lights are off and the school bus resumes motion.
Each time a motorist violates the school bus stop law, they create a real hazard for the children that are boarding or leaving the bus. School bus drivers that believe a motorist has violated the passing law will report the license number to the law enforcement agency for investigation. All drivers shoud do their best to keep all children safe as they leave or return home from school; drive safely and observe the rules.
For more information about all the Head Start preschool programs or to enroll, call 866-627-4557 for quick contact. For more information about Council on Rural Services – programs for innovative learning, check the website at www.councilonruralservices.org.
