While it is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children, the National Safety Council reports that 70 percent of deaths related to school buses occur outside of the bus.
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Additionally, more school-age pedestrians have been killed during the hour before and after school than any other time of day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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The National Safety Council offers these tips for drivers to help prevent another tragedy:
- Never pass a bus from behind - or from either direction if you're on an undivided road - if it is stopped to load or unload children
- If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop
- The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus
- Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks