Child Safety Travel Tips for the New School Year

Source: Florida Highway Patrol

The Florida High Patrol has launched an awareness campaign to promote child safety with reminders for both adults and children as the new school year starts.

“Each August, as the school year begins, law enforcement across the state make concentrated efforts to remind drivers about school zone safety. This includes emphasizing the importance of reducing speed, highlighting the consequences of passing school buses, and underlining the danger children are exposed to when such actions occur,” said FHP Colonel Gary Howze II in a issued statement.

According to the school board crash data on FHP’s website, there were approximately 3000 school bus accidents in Florida in 2022.

Reminders the adults:

All drivers moving in either direction on a two-way street must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal, and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children and the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.

The penalties for passing a stopped school bus has doubled since Jan. 1, 2021 and will be based on the “on the severity of the violation.”

According to FHP’s website, the minimum fine for passing a stopped school bus is $265.

However, drivers who pass a stopped school bus and cause serious bodily injury or death to another person will have to serve 120 community service hours in a trauma center or hospital, participate in a victim panel session or complete a basic driver improvement course if they are convicted, receive six points on their driver’s license, pay a $1,500 fine and have their license suspended for at least one year.

Reminders for children:

Children should remain seated and keep the aisle clear on the bus, and should avoid loud or disruptive behavior that could distract the bus driver.

When the bus stops, children should look both ways before crossing the street and should make eye contact with the bus driver to make sure they can see them before crossing.