Ohio State Highway Patrol Promotes School Bus Safety

COLUMBUS– In the coming weeks, school districts throughout Ohio will begin welcoming students back into their classrooms. For many of these students, their days start and end by riding a school bus. The safety of the students riding to and from school, as well as to school-sanctioned events, is a top priority.

Since 2019, there have been 6,145 traffic crashes involving school buses in Ohio. During this time, eight crashes involved fatalities, including one student killed on a school bus

“It’s crucial that everyone commits to helping school bus riders get to and from their destinations safely each day,” said Governor DeWine. “Bus safety isn’t just the responsibility of the bus driver – other drivers, parents, and students  all have a role to play.”

As the buses return to the roadways, the Patrol has a few reminders: Motorists are required to stop at least 10 feet in front of or behind a school bus when flashing lights and an extended arm are displayed; motorists cannot resume driving until the school bus begins moving. The Patrol also reminds motorists to plan ahead and allow extra time for delays caused by stopped buses. 

School buses are also required to be inspected twice a year to ensure the bus is operating properly. Every bus used to transport students is inspected before the beginning of the school year and once randomly during the year. Since 2019, the Patrol has performed more than 200,000 inspections.

“I am incredibly proud of the dedication our personnel puts into inspecting school buses across Ohio,” said Colonel Charles A. Jones, Patrol superintendent. “Their commitment and attention to detail in every inspection helps prevent potential hazards and plays a crucial role in protecting the lives of students every day.”

For example, the Patrol, the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio Department of Education teamed up to create new highly-reflective “STOP” decals for the rear of every school bus in the state. Beginning in October 2022, each of the state’s nearly 20,000 school buses were outfitted with the new decals, which made buses more visible in both daylight and at nighttime. The first round of decals were printed by ODOT’s Sign Shop and provided to the schools at no cost.

Click here for a complete statistical breakdown of school bus inspections, crashes and passing stopped school bus violations.