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Sharing the road: bus safety tips as the school year approaches

With back-to-school on the horizon, Ohio State Highway Patrol offers some important reminders to keep students safe on the road.

FINDLAY, Ohio — Thousands of schools across Ohio will return to school this month and for many, that means starting and ending their day with a bus ride.

The safety of the students riding to and from school is a top priority for Ohio State Highway Patrol. As buses return to the roadways, troopers have a few reminders. 

The most common situation motorists will encounter with school buses is knowing when to stop their vehicle when a bus is in the vicinity. When on a road with fewer than four lanes, traffic coming from either direction must stop at least 10 feet from the front or rear of the bus, depending on the direction from which they are driving. 

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School buses will signal when they have stopped with flashing lights and/or a stop sign attached to the bus. Motorists cannot resume driving until the school bus begins moving again. 

School buses are also required to be inspected twice per year to ensure the bus is operating properly. Each bus that transports students is inspected before the beginning of the school year and once randomly during the year. 

Troopers also remind motorists to plan ahead and allow extra time for delays caused by school bus stops. Since 2017, thousands of crashes involving school buses have occurred in Ohio.

"Since 2017, there have been 6,200 crashes in Ohio that were involved with school buses," Sergeant Justin Powell with Ohio State Highway Patrol said. "That's a larger number than people would think because you don't really think of a traffic crash with a school bus. But it's usually people who are in a hurry; they're not paying attention."

Sgt. Powell also mentioned that although August is school bus safety month, drivers should practice school bus safety when sharing the road all year long.

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