Throughout the school year, drivers encounter school buses that are taking students to and from school and related activities. It’s critical for all drivers to ensure that they’re driving safely around these vehicles.
Safe driving near buses can help maximize the chance that the children will arrive at their destination safely. Bus drivers can operate as safely as possible, but part of this broader responsibility of safety falls on other motorists.
Stopping for school buses is the law
The law in Indiana is very strict regarding when a driver must stop for a school bus. If its red lights are flashing and its stop arm is extended, all drivers must stop. This means that the bus is picking up or dropping off children.
Traffic in both directions must stop for a bus in this scenario. The only exception to this is if the bus is on a divided highway that has a physical barrier. When that’s the case, only the traffic behind the school bus has to stop.
The dangers of not stopping
Drivers who don’t obey the signs and lights on school buses can cause catastrophic crashes. There’s a chance that they could slam into a school bus, which puts the children in the bus in danger of catastrophic injuries.
There’s also a risk that a driver who tries to pass a school bus when it’s picking up or dropping off children could hit a child. This can lead to the child sustaining potentially life-threatening injuries.
Any child who’s involved in a crash while on a bus, or moving or from a school bus, should be taken in for immediate medical care. Some injuries may not be evident right away. The cost of care can be considerable, and parents may have to miss work while their children heal.
Parents of children who suffer injuries in a school bus crash may opt to pursue compensation from a liable party. This can be a complex process, so it may behoove those parents to obtain legal assistance as they seek the compensation that they’re due.
