Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there have been very few buses on the road in 2020 as schools have turned to online learning to avoid spreading the virus. But slowly, schools are reopening, which means buses are returning to the roads. You should observe bus safety tips to keep the Broward bus system safe for students.
It’s a good idea to review the rules of the road concerning buses since drivers haven’t had to think about those rules in several months. Because buses are so large, a collision with one could also be very damaging to you and your car.
Bus Safety Tips for Broward Drivers
As buses return to local roads, be sure to follow these bus safety tips to avoid an accident with a bus. While you probably learned about bus safety and rules for driving near buses as part of your driver’s education course, it’s good to have a refresher:
- Don’t follow a bus too closely. Buses make frequent stops and you don’t want to get caught off guard and cause a collision from following a bus too closely.
- Never pass a stopped bus. Buses that are stopped are generally loading or unloading children. Passing these buses could lead to serious harm to a child.
- When a bus’s yellow or red lights are flashing, all traffic in both directions must stop. Even if you are headed toward the bus and not from behind, you are to stop because children might need to cross the road to get to or from their homes.
- Vehicles are required to stop at least 10 feet from the back of a bus. That’s because the area directly behind a bus is extremely dangerous for children. Stopping far behind the bus gives children a safe space to load and unload from the bus.
- Stay alert and don’t use this time to check your phone or be distracted in any way. Children can change courses quickly or take unpredictable routes to their destination. When around a school or near a bus, be sure to act with extreme caution and give children tons of room.
- It’s a good idea to know bus stop locations and route times for your neighborhood. After a bus unloads children, there’s likely to be more foot traffic in your neighborhood for several minutes. Be especially careful when backing out of your garage or embarking on travel to ensure you don’t harm a child as they make their way home.
Common Broward County Bus System Accident Causes
The causes of bus accidents are very similar to the causes of other motor vehicle accidents. Here are some common bus system accident causes so you can work hard to avoid them:
- Distracted driving: just like you can collide with a car due to distracted driving, you can collide with a bus. Stay alert when behind the wheel to prevent an accident.
- Heavily populated areas: urban locations tend to have more accidents because they are heavily populated and more difficult to maneuver in. Stopped traffic in these areas can frustrate drivers and lead them to make poor decisions. Or slow traffic can lead drivers to follow too closely and make mistakes. Stay patient in heavily populated areas to prevent an accident.
- Changing road conditions: during rain and snow, drivers tend to make poor decisions or not allow extra room to stop when conditions are poor. Be sure to adjust your driving to the road conditions and look ahead for issues like changes to the roads or intersections due to construction.
- Equipment defects: be sure to have your car’s mechanics reviewed regularly. Defects in a car’s mechanics can cause accidents as well and these are highly preventable accidents.
- Seat belt usage: passengers in motor vehicles should always wear a seatbelt. A collision with a bus could lead to severe bodily harm if you are not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.
School Bus Accident Attorney
Sending your little one back to school this year might have some added stress and concern due to the pandemic. You shouldn’t have to worry about a school bus accident. But if you do, our attorneys at Goldman & Daszkal will be there to defend your case and seek justice for you.
A school bus accident is a nightmare scenario and a call no parent wants to receive. As you work to pick up the pieces, we’ll be there to provide your legal representation and ensure you aren’t left with high medical bills to get your child the care and treatment they need to be well.
Schedule a free consultation to learn more about our team of caring and compassionate school bus attorneys. We’ll guide you through the process of seeking justice for a Broward bus system accident or other South Florida local school district bus accident.