National Bus Safety Week Begins

This week marks National Bus Safety Week, a great time for students, parents, teachers, and the community to focus on ways to keep everyone safe as students travel to and from school.
 
The Kansas State Department of Education noted that in the 2020-2021 school year 188,848 students in our state traveled more than 23 million miles on school buses.

 
“I want to encourage the state of Kansas to help celebrate the men and women who currently sit behind the wheel of our buses and dedicate their time and talent to keeping students safe,” stated Keith Dreiling, director of the Kansas State Department of Education School Bus Safety Unit.  

In addition, Dreiling encouraged individuals to consider driving a bus to help address a shortage of bus drivers in the state and across the country. 

This year’s National Bus Safety Week theme is “Be Safe-Know the Danger Zone,” drawn from a national poster contest hosted by the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT). This theme reminds individuals that the most dangerous areas are near the bus, where they may not be seen by the driver.The National Association for Pupil Transportation states:

“The danger zone extends at least 12 feet from the front bumper, 10 to 12 feet from the left and right sides of the bus and at least 12 feet behind the rear bumper of the school bus. In addition, the area to the left of the driver's seat is always considered dangerous because of passing vehicles.”
 
Later this week, on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021 Kansas will officially honor bus drivers on School Transportation Day.