With more than one million Virginia students headed back to school this month, the Virginia Department of Transportation is calling on everyone to be cautious around school buses and in school zones to keep all road users safe and avoid costly fines and tickets. Students will be commuting to school on foot, by bicycle, by school bus, or by private vehicles.
School buses are the safest way for students to get to and from school, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, when walking to and from the bus and while buses are loading and unloading students, they become vulnerable to injury. It is important for motorists to be patient and attentive around school buses and in school zones. Children are smaller and harder for motorists to see.
In Virginia, it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign. This means the bus is picking up or dropping off students. All motorists must stop, whether they are approaching f...