It’s National School Bus Safety Week! Observed during the third full week of October each year, National School Bus Safety Week is a time to address the importance of school bus safety. Here, we will provide our top tips to observe National School Bus Safety Week.

An accident involving a bus is dangerous and can be deadly. If you or a loved one are a victim in a bus accident, seek legal help from an experienced personal injury lawyer. A personal injury lawyer will help to protect your rights and ensure you receive maximum compensation. Contact Anthem Injury Lawyers at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.

Talk to Your Children

Every school day more than 25 million children ride on a school bus. That’s a lot of children getting on and off school buses. The most important thing you can do during National School Bus Safety Week (and throughout the year) is talk to your kids about school bus safety. The National Association for Pupil Transportation provided some of the following bus stop safety tips. For additional tips, see Our Top 10 Back to School Safety Tips for Kids.

Prepare for the School Bus

Your children play an important role in their own safety. You can help them stay safe on their way to and from the school bus by doing the following:

• Make sure your children leave with plenty of time to catch the bus. Running after a bus is dangerous.
• Have your children wear bright clothing and travel in groups to make them easier to see.
• Pack all of your children’s school supplies into their backpack. This helps to keep their eyes and hands free from distractions.

Encourage Pedestrian Safety

If your children have to walk to and from a bus stop, talk to them about pedestrian safety. Walk the route with them to get an idea of potential hazards. Talk about where they should cross when getting off the school bus. Also discuss what they should do if they get on the wrong bus or get off at the wrong stop. When discussing pedestrian safety, talk to your kids about the following:

• Only cross at designated crosswalks.
• Always stop and look for cars in all directions.
• If there is a car at the intersection, make eye contact with the driver before crossing.
• Never run across the street.

Now that you have an idea about how to help your children make safe choices around school buses, you are probably wondering what you should do as a driver. Below we discuss some important tips to remember when you are driving near school buses.

If you or a loved one are injured in a school bus accident, consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer. Anthem Injury Lawyers is a team of experienced, dedicated personal injury lawyers that offers the expertise you need when pursuing a personal injury claim. Contact us today at (702) 857-6000 for a free consultation.

Look Out for Children

The most important thing you can do as a driver when you see a school bus is look out for children. Did you know that the greatest risk to a child is approaching or leaving a school bus? Keep children in mind whenever you see a school bus. Exercise caution and stay alert for children getting on and getting off the bus. Keep in mind that children are more difficult to see due to their height and often do not act like rational pedestrians.

Follow the Law

If you are driving you have a responsibility to know the law, especially when it comes to school buses. This keeps you safe and the children riding the buses safe. In Nevada, there are a number of laws that apply to school zones and to school buses. Notably, drivers must stop for school buses. Under Nevada Revised Statute 484B.353, all drivers are required to stop for school buses when:

• Students are boarding and departing.
• The bus is displaying its flashing red lights.

Keep in mind that on divided highways with a median or other physical barrier, traffic moving in the opposite direction does not have to stop.

Avoid the No-Zone

Most crashes between buses and smaller cars are caused by the car drivers. The Nevada Driver Handbook has a section dedicated to commercial vehicle and bus safety. The Nevada Driver Handbook reminds drivers to avoid the “No-Zone” with the below information.

What Is a No-Zone?

According to the Nevada Driver Handbook, the No-Zone is the area around buses where cars “disappear” into blind spots. If bus drivers cannot see you, the possibility of a collision is greatly increased. The right-side blind spot is doubly dangerous because buses make wide right turns.

Side No-Zones

Do not “hang out” on either side of buses. Buses have big No-Zones (blind spots) on both sides. They are much larger than your car’s blind spots. If you cannot see the driver’s face in the side view mirror, the driver cannot see you. If that driver needs to swerve or change lanes for any reason, the chances of a collision are greatly increased.

Front No-Zones

Pass safely! Large vehicles need nearly twice the time and distance to stop as cars. When passing, look for the whole front of the bus in your rearview mirror before pulling into the bus’s lane.

Rear No-Zones

Avoid tailgating! If the bus driver brakes or stops suddenly, you have no place to go and could end up running into them. Never pass behind a bus that is backing up.

Wide Right Turns

Avoid the “squeeze play”! Bus drivers sometimes need to swing wide to the left in order to safely make a right turn. Or swing wide to the right to safely make a left turn. They cannot see cars directly behind or beside them. Do not “squeeze” between a bus and the curb.

Bus safety is everyone’s responsibility. If you have been the victim in a bus accident, you should seek legal advice from an experienced bus accident lawyer. The experienced team at Anthem Injury Lawyers can help you protect your rights and help you get the personal injury settlement that you deserve. Insurance companies don’t work in your best interests. Our Las Vegas bus accident lawyers do. Contact us today at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.

EXPERIENCED LAS VEGAS PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS

We hope the above discussion helps you and your loved ones stay safe around school buses. If you are injured in a Las Vegas area bus accident, you should speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer. Some people wonder why they need a personal injury lawyer to help them. A personal injury lawyer will work aggressively to protect your rights and help you receive maximum compensation for your injuries.

Get the best accident attorneys in Las Vegas fighting for you. Our experts offer you the best opportunity to win top compensation. Contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.