GRAND FORKS — With Grand Forks Public Schools back in session and school buses filling the roadways, one local nonprofit is letting students, parents and motorists know how to stay safe.
Tina Sanders, a specialist with Safe Kids, said it’s especially important for drivers to look out for young pedestrians in the first few weeks of school.
“Kids are very excited, and they often do not make the best choices when it comes to crossing the street,” she said. “We know from studying brain development that children really can’t judge how far away or how fast a car is going until around fifth or sixth grade.”
Over 200 schoolchildren died in bus-related crashes from 2015 to 2024, according to data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Among them, 77 were pedestrians and 39 were school bus occupants.
“School buses are very safe modes of transport,” Sanders said. “They are rarely in crashes because they’re large, brightly colored vehicles driven by highly skilled drivers. Usually, the collisions that happen are outside of the bus because visibility isn’t great, or because drivers are trying to pass a bus that is stopped.”
Passing a bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign carries a penalty of $250 and six driving record points in North Dakota.
In Minnesota, the act is considered a misdemeanor and comes with a minimum $500 fine. A driver who passes a school bus on the right side can even be arrested in some circumstances.
Additionally, many school buses — including those operated by Valley Bus for GFPS — have external cameras that can capture license plates. If a bus driver catches someone passing, they may report it to the police and the motorists could receive a ticket in the mail.
“In the first days of school, if you have the option to take a different route in the morning, I would highly recommend that because it is going to be a little chaotic in the school zones,” Sanders said. “It might ease the congestion.”
Sanders also shared safety advice for parents to give to their kids before heading out to school. Since many elementary schools are located in walkable neighborhoods, lots of students walk or bike to school each day.
“What we encourage them to do is stop before the curb, look left, look right, look left again, and then look over their shoulder before they step into the roadway,” she said. “If there are drivers, we want them to make eye contact to make sure they know that a person is trying to cross. They need to watch the wheels to make sure the car comes to a stop.”
For cyclists, Sanders said parents should check their kids’ bikes to ensure the brakes are functioning. Also be sure that the bike is the right size.
“Unfortunately, sometimes the collisions we see are bike versus car,” she said. “If it’s the right size, when you are seated on the saddle you should be able to put your toes on the ground on either side. If you can’t do that then you’re not going to be able to effectively stop.”
