As students in Portage la Prairie prepare to return to the classroom, the Portage la Prairie School Division is emphasizing crucial safety tips for riders and motorists.
Adam Thompson, Supervisor of Transportation for the division, outlines key practices to ensure everyone's safety on and around school buses this new school year.
For new students, the primary focus is on timeliness and composure at the bus stop.
Being ready and avoiding a last-minute rush is critical for maintaining schedules and preventing accidents.
"Well, for new students, the first thing would be being at the bus stop and being ready," says Thompson. "If every student's a minute late for the bus and we've got 30 kids on that bus, everybody's 1/2 an hour late. So the focus would be to be on time, and on time means not running to your bus. So that's one safety issue that we do see is students in a rush and running, they could trip and fall, and that's the last thing we want."
Safety while riding the bus
Once on the bus, proper seating is the most important safety measure.
Thompson explains that the design of the bus seats is specifically intended to protect students, but only if they are used correctly.
"Students need to sit in their seats facing forward. Bus, the school bus has seats that are compartmentalized, and that means that they can protect you only if you're sitting properly," he states. "So, if you're in the aisle, walking up and down the aisle, standing, and if you're in an accident or unforeseen issue arises, you hit the ditch, you're not going to be protected if you're not sitting properly."
The danger zone around the bus
For pedestrians, understanding the "danger zone" around the bus is vital.
Thompson stresses that students should never cross behind the bus and should always maintain a safe distance until the driver signals it is clear to cross.
"As for the pedestrians, we try to remain 6 feet away from the side of the bus, what we call the danger zone," says Thompson. "So the danger zone of the bus is obviously in front of it, but also includes the right side of the bus, where the door is, and especially the rear.
He provides specific instructions for crossing safely. "We have a control arm in front of the bus that reaches out 6 feet. But we urge students to walk at least 10 feet in front of the bus before crossing in front of it. If you drop something, never bend down to pick it up. And always try to make eye contact with the bus driver. They'll signal to you when traffic is stopped and it's safe to cross. Always, always stop before crossing the road, look both ways and then proceed."
A warning for motorists
Thompson also has a critical message for drivers, reminding them of the severe legal and financial consequences of passing a school bus with its stop sign extended.
"We have stop signs on the left side of the bus. Approaching traffic coming up from the rear is expected to stop when that is extended. There is a $600 plus fine if you do cross that stop sign," he says, adding further warning that, "If students are crossing and you attempt to pass a bus, you could severely injure them. We don't want to have to crack down on people, but we need people to realize that safety is the top priority and that stop sign is extended for a reason."
The division has sent safety materials to families of rural students in kindergarten through Grade 4 to help young riders prepare for a safe school year.