Schools

Police Stress Safe Driving with School Buses Back on the Road

The first day of school is Aug. 29, but bus drivers have taken to the streets to become familiar with routes before children return. Police are warning drivers to be vigilant or be prepared to pay hefty fines.

There’s a simple message that Southington police are delivering and heeding their warning could mean saving you some considerable money. Do NOT speed in school zones and do NOT pass a school bus with its lights on.

Southington schools will begin on Aug. 29 and anyone caught passing a school bus or speeding through a school zone will face steep state-set fines, Officer Thomas Gallo said in a press release. Furthermore, the approval from the Board of Education earlier this year to install cameras will aim to improve safety and catch violators.


“Several school buses in town are equipped with cameras that begin recording when the stop sign is extended and record vehicles going through the sign,” Gallo said.

Under state laws, passing a stopped or standing school bus that has the red flashing "SOS" lights and stop sign activated will lead to a $465 fine.

“The Southington Police Department asks that all motorists drive safely around buses and through school zones. That’s how we prevent a more serious tragedy,” Police Chief Jack Daly said during the camera approval earlier this year.

In addition, the Southington Police Department has backed the following
School Bus Safety Taking the bus for the first time is a big step for your child. Help your kids get a gold star in bus safety by following these tips. 

The Highway National Traffic Safety Administration also provided the following tips for students to guarantee safe bus travel:

The Hard Facts

School buses are the safest mode of motorized transportation for getting children to and from school, but injuries can occur if kids are not careful and aware when getting on and off the bus.

Top Tips

  • Tell kids to stand at least three giant steps back from the curb as the bus approaches and board the bus one at a time.
  • Teach kids to wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before getting off and never to walk behind the bus.
  • If your child needs to cross the street after exiting the bus, he or she should take five giant steps in front of the bus, make eye contact with the bus driver and cross when the driver indicates it’s safe. Teach kids to look left, right and left again before crossing the street.
  • Instruct younger kids to use handrails when boarding or exiting the bus. Be careful of straps or drawstrings that could get caught in the door. If your children drop something, they should tell the bus driver and make sure the bus driver is able to see them before they pick it up.
  • Drivers should always follow the speed limit and slow down in school zones and near bus stops. Remember to stay alert and look for kids who may be trying to get to or from the school bus.  
  • Slow down and stop if you’re driving near a school bus that is flashing yellow or red lights. This means the bus is either preparing to stop (yellow) or already stopped (red), and children are getting on or off.

Learn More


Want more tips about how to keep your kids safe on or around school buses? Read more from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

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