Troopers urge drivers to be aware of buses

CHILLICOTHE - Throughout the week, Ohio State Highway Patrol officials have been working to get the word out about school bus safety.

The week of Oct. 17 to 21 was deemed National School Bus Safety Week, and troopers followed school buses and visited classrooms to share their message and ensure all area students were safe while riding the bus.

Trooper Bobby Brown, who works out of the Chillicothe Post, said troopers look to make sure the bus lights are on, children are following directions from the bus driver, and that other drivers are leaving enough space between their vehicles and the bus when stopping.

Officials from the Ross County Sheriff's Office and Chillicothe Police Department said they also patrol near school zones to ensure drivers are following the speed limit. Dave Weber, of the Sheriff's Office, said they occasionally drive behind and even ride the buses to ensure students' safety.

As of Sept. 30, 2016, there have been four school bus-involved crashes in Ross County, according to data provided by the patrol from the Ohio Department of Public Safety's crash database. In Ohio, there have been 858 school bus-involved crashes as of Sept. 30, 2016, and nearly 15 percent were reported as injury crashes.

Between 2011 and Sept. 30, 2016, 38 school bus-involved crashes have been reported in Ross County, 10 of which resulted in injuries, reports showed.

The area averaged nearly seven crashes per year between 2011 and 2015, having seen as many as nine in 2014 and as few as five in 2011. As a whole, Ohio averages about 1,367 crashes per year in that same time frame.

Brown said drivers should be aware of their surroundings, and if they're planning to travel when they know buses will be out, should pay attention to children standing near the road waiting for the bus.

"Most crashes are because of driver inattention," Brown said.

Since 2011, there has been only one fatal crash involving a school bus in Ross County, in October 2011. Brown said the crash involved a Paint Valley Local Schools bus and another vehicle along U.S. 50 between Bourneville and Bainbridge. The driver of the other vehicle, James S. Hill, 39, of Bainbridge, was killed, and of the 38 students on the bus, at least 12 were injured in the crash, officials reported.

In addition to crashes, Brown said there were nine reported complaints in 2015 and seven in 2016 of drivers not stopping for school buses.

Such instances are reported by the bus drivers, Brown said, adding it likely happens more frequently than is reported, as the driver must provide a description of the vehicle and license plate number.

From 2013 to 2015, more than 4,000 drivers in Ohio were convicted of failing to stop for a school bus that was loading or unloading passengers, according to Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles data.

"People just get too close," Brown said. "Patience is the biggest thing."

Drivers should stop at 10 feet away from buses flashing red lights.

School bus safety tips 

• Follow the speed limit and slow down in school zones and near bus stops. 
• Stay  alert  and look for children who may be trying to get to or from a school bus. 
• Slow down and stop when driving near a school bus that is flashing yellow or red lights. 
• If a child needs to cross the street after exiting the bus, he or she should take five giant steps in front of the bus, and wait for the driver to indicate it's safe, the look both ways before crossing the street. 

Safety tips from Safe Kids Worldwide. See more school bus safety tips at SafeKids.org.