Colorado parents reminded about consequences for students' bad behavior on school buses
As students across the Denver metro area are either back in school or preparing to go back, the Colorado State Patrol wants to remind parents and students about the importance of school bus etiquette.
This is how students should act when they are riding on a school bus. State troopers say that if a bus driver is distracted by a misbehaving student, this increases the risk of crashes.
Troopers say that how kids act when riding in their parents' vehicle is how they should act when riding on a school bus. They shouldn't misbehave during any ride. Every time the bus driver has to take their eyes off the road, even for two seconds, they risk a crash.
Troopers are providing these tips to students for a safe bus ride. These include:
- Kids are always remaining in their seats.
- Keep their hands, feet, and head inside the bus at all times.
- Kids should keep their belongings out of the center walking aisle. This can become a safety hazard if the bus needs to brake.
- Never throw items inside or outside the bus. You risk putting your bus driver and others at risk.
- Also, use your inside voice. The fewer distractions for the driver, the safer the trip.
"Everyone has ridden on a bus where the bus driver is looking through that big rearview mirror and ends up screaming at a kid to tell them to stop bouncing off the wall or to sit down and be quiet," Trooper Hunter Matthews, Colorado State Patrol. "This takes the bus driver's eyes off the roadway. Now, depending on the severity of the incident, even for even a brief period of time, that's going to make it harder for them to react to whatever is going on in front of them."
Troopers remind children that whenever they are getting on the bus, they should never run. There is no rush. Drivers also need to remember to stop when the bus stop sign is out, no matter which side. You can only travel through if you are traveling on the other side of the run that is divided by a barrier in the median.