AAA and Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation Send Bus Safety Message

8 October 2005

'Stop' means 'stop,' especially
when it comes to school buses, say AAA and the Michigan Association for Pupil
Transportation (MAPT). Just in time for National School Bus Safety and
Awareness Week, the two organizations have created three new public service
announcements on the school bus stop law, which were distributed to Michigan
network TV and cable stations in late August.
With the theme, "I am the future, help keep me safe," the PSAs were
recorded in 15-, 30- and 60-second formats, and help drivers become more
familiar with the flashing light system that is used when loading or unloading
students.
"The message we're trying to get across is very simple -- the law requires
motorists to stop when the overhead red lights of a school bus are flashing,"
says Louk Markham, of Portage Schools and past President of the MAPT. "The
law applies to drivers on both sides of the road, unless the highway is
divided by a barrier."
According to MAPT, on an average day in Michigan, 18,000 buses transport
860,000 students to and from school. Michigan averages three fatalities per
year due to school transportation-related crashes.
AAA Michigan commends all school bus drivers for their daily commitment to
safety. "Due to their conscientious efforts, school buses remain the safest
mode of transportation to and from school," says Richard J. Miller, Community
Safety Services Manager for AAA Michigan. "The motoring public can also
contribute to the safety of our children by obeying Michigan's school bus stop
laws."
Nationwide, since 1993, 191 school-age pedestrians have died in school
transportation-related crashes. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) were killed by
school buses, 31 percent by other vehicles involved in the crashes and 4
percent by vehicles functioning as school buses.
AAA and MAPT urge motorists to follow these bus safety tips:
* When yellow lights are blinking low, you may pass the bus but please go
slow.
* When yellow lights are flashing on top, please prepare to stop.
* When red lights are flashing, stop at least 20 feet from the school bus
and remain stopped until the red light stops flashing.
* A school bus may also have a stop sign that extends from the side of
the bus.