October 16-20 declared National School Bus Safety Week

The Kerrville Municipal court wants to remind area drivers that October 16-20 is National School Bus Safety Week and has shared ways to help protect our local school-age kids.

Texas law requires drivers to STOP for school buses with red lights flashing and stop arms extended when children are boarding or exiting the bus.  Drivers must stay stopped until the school bus resumes motion, the bus driver signals you to go, or the flashing red lights are no longer activated.  This applies to both directions of traffic regardless of the number of lanes of traffic.  The only exception to this rule is when the roadway is divided by a concrete barrier or another type of median.

Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop or unload children.  Red flashing lights and extended arms indicate that the bus has stopped and that children are getting on or off the bus.  The greatest safety risk for children who ride the school bus is not riding the bus, but approaching or leaving the bus.

Drivers who reside in neighborhoods which are in close proximity to schools and bus stops are urged to use extreme caution because children can become easily distracted and sometimes fail to notice their surroundings.  Residents are asked to be mindful when backing out of their driveways and always follow the school zone instructions.

There are legal penalties for individuals who fail to follow school bus safety laws.  The first offense in Municipal Court for passing a stopped school bus will result in a $1,000 fine, which is ineligible to be discharged through a drivers’ safety course.  Violations of this law that result in serious bodily injury carry more severe penalties.

For more safety tips, visit the city’s website at www.kerrvilletx.gov.