Motorists urged to be alert for ‘flashing red lights’ at school bus stops

The week of Oct. 17-21 has been designated as National School Bus Safety Week, and the theme this year is "Flashing Red Means Stop Ahead."

"South Carolina’s school buses provide the safest way for students to get to and from school," said State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum. "The vast majority of students who are injured each year are hurt either while they are walking to or from their bus stops, or while they are waiting for the bus to arrive in the morning. That’s why motorists need to be especially vigilant when around school buses or approaching school bus stops."

Each day in South Carolina more than 335,000 students ride a bus to school. The state’s fleet of buses, which is maintained by the State Department of Education, travels more than 78 million miles per year. Even with this tremendous number of miles traveled, data prove that riding in a school bus is the safest way for children to get to and from school.

While the Education Department and local school districts look for opportunities to emphasize bus safety throughout the year, special activities will take place the week’s national observance. The Education Department will provide all South Carolina schools with School Bus Safety Week posters, Tenenbaum said. Local school districts can offer a variety of special events, ranging from conducting emergency bus evacuation drills to having officials emphasize safety procedures to bus riders. A school bus emergency evacuation drill video, "The Safest Way Out," is also available for viewing by bus riders.