Kids should observe a Safety Zone at the bus stop.

Blount teen recovering after being hit by a school bus

WBIR reported this story about a student who was injured when her own school bus hit her.  Basically, it sounds like she may have been standing to close to the street when the bus arrived.  Read the story for yourself.  

We have three kids in our home who ride the bus.  I walk up to the bus stop with them and wait there till the bus picks them up.  Most of the other riders' parents wait in their cars, except for one who stands with us.  This leaves the safety of most of the riders on the other parent and me. Early in the year, the students had the habit of racing to be the first one to board.  Then there are those kids who sit in their cars till the bus turns the corner to start down our street.  This combination of racing and last minute dashes left the bus coming too close to some kids for my comfort.  So I teamed up with my neighbor parent to designate a Safety Zone.  

Our Safety Zone: 
At our particular bus stop, we stand in a neighbor's driveway.  There is a crack that conveniently marks off about six feet from the road.  We ask all the kids to stay out of the safety zone, directing them to scoot back, away from the road.  We also ask that they wait till the bus comes to a complete stop before moving toward it. The result has been, first of all, no one has gotten hurt.  Secondly, most mornings, the arrival of the bus has been with much less stress than before.  

The next kid who runs out in front of the bus at the last minute because they don't want to wait out in the cold with us may subject his/her parent to a parent-to-parent conference at the car.

Please teach your bus riders to stand back until it comes to a complete stop.  

God bless, 
Dadofmykids