School bus safety tips and advice from state police | #schoolsaftey

With the first days of school across Western New York, school buses are once again loading up with students heading to class. But getting kids on and off buses isn’t always the safest.

The governor’s safety committee says there’s an increasingly high number of drivers illegally passing stopped school buses.

Trooper James O’Callaghan of the New York State Police says 50,000 people will pass a stopped school bus with red flashing lights each day. He says it’s important to alert the police if one sees someone do so. He recommends motorists give themselves some extra time to travel to avoid a potential delay from a bus stopping.

He also recommends parents talk to their children about being aware. If they’re using headphones, especially noise-canceling ones, he suggests kids take one out so they can hear, and talking to children about paying attention to cues from bus drivers is also recommended.