National School Bus Safety Week During a Pandemic

For many Marylanders this October – like 2020 in general – is unlike any that we’ve experienced before. Masks are no longer just for Halloween. Children are home more hours of the day. The traditional rhythm of life is on hold.

While much is topsy-turvy this year, National School Bus Safety Week (October 19 through October 23) goes on!

With so many children still engaging in virtual school from home, there may be far fewer school vehicles on Maryland roads; yet, this makes noting National School Bus Safety Week that much more important.

Lots of us are out of practice interacting with school buses on our streets. Some Maryland school systems are returning cohorts of students to school this October while some Maryland independent schools have been partially or fully operational in-person since August. National School Bus Safety Week is a reminder that whether we interact with one school bus a month or one school bus an hour, we must always prioritize safety first when driving or walking near a moving school bus.

“National School Bus Safety Week is an active and evolving public education program and an excellent way for parents, students, teachers, motorists, school bus operators, school administrators, and other interested parties – to join forces and address the importance of school bus safety.” according to the National Association for Pupil Transportation, which also publishes a useful one-page guide to year-round school bus safety.

In a typical school year, more than 600,000 Maryland students ride school buses in Maryland, and though that number is certainly lower this October, every life matters!

To stay on top of our school bus safety game, the Maryland Center for School Safety (MCSS) encourages Marylanders and those passing through our state to:

• Always pay attention when driving, especially in school zones and during school bus stops;
• Always stop when a bus stops; it is illegal to pass a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop-arm extended when it has stopped to load or unload students;
• Always ensure that any mask or face shield that you wear out in public does not prevent you from maintaining a clear line of sight when operating a motor vehicle or walking near moving vehicles; and
• Always remember that children’s brains are still developing – don’t expect them to behave as you would when entering, exiting, or in a school bus; therefore, maintain a safe distance from school buses at all times.