THP Participates in National School Bus Safety Week
Monday, October 20, 2008 | 04:50am
Drivers are Reminded to “Stop on Red, Kids Ahead”
NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Department of Safety (TDOS) and the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) are participating in National School Bus Safety Week, October 20 – 24, 2008. This year’s theme, “Stop on Red, Kids Ahead,” reminds all drivers that they are required by law to stop when a school bus’s red-flashing lights are activated.
“The most dangerous part of the school bus ride is when children are getting on or off the bus,” stated TDOS Commissioner Dave Mitchell. “Approximately three times as many school bus-related fatalities in this country happen in the “Danger Zone,” when compared to students killed in a school bus crash.”
The “Danger Zone” is the area on all sides of the bus where children are in the most danger of not being seen by the driver:
- Ten feet in front of the bus where the driver may be too high to see a child;
- Ten feet on either side of the bus where a child may be in the driver’s blind spot;
- The area behind the bus.
“School buses are yellow, which all drivers should recognize as a color symbolizing caution,” said THP Colonel Mike Walker. “When drivers see yellow, especially a yellow school bus, they need to slow down. If its red lights are flashing, drivers must stop, or Tennessee State Troopers will be more than happy to issue them a citation.”
Between August 1, 2008, and September 30, 2008, Troopers wrote 518 citations to drivers as part of THP’s Safe Schools Enforcement Campaign. A total of 135 of those drivers were ticketed for speeding in a school zone. In 2007, Troopers issued nearly 7,986 citations in school zones across the state.
“Drivers need to know that a school zone isn’t just the 15-mile-per-hour zone around a school. It’s anywhere children travel,” Colonel Walker added. “Our goal is simple. We want to make sure children get to school and back home safely. That’s why Troopers enforce traffic laws, train school bus drivers and inspect buses.”
More than 11,000 school bus drivers were trained last year by the Department of Safety. THP also inspected 10,060 school buses. State Troopers plan to increase their presence in school zones throughout the state, looking for drivers who ignore the red flashing lights and break the law.
The Tennessee Department of Safety’s mission is (www.tennessee.gov/safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.