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School bus safety should be top of mind year-round for motorists and students but this week, we are all being given a little reminder of the ways to keep students safe while on the road.
October 17-21 has been declared as National Bus Safety Week, and York Catholic, along with Transportation Services of York Region are joining together with other school boards to honour the importance of school bus safety.
In the Province of Ontario, over 800,000 children and teenagers ride safely in over 18,000 school buses to and from school every day. Studies show that school buses are the safest method for transporting young people - up to 16 times safer than passenger cars.
York Region school bus driver Gail Wellington always has safety on her mind, and starts each day by ensuring the bus is in proper working condition.
“Each morning, we check over 100 items to ensure the bus is in good working order,” said Ms. Wellington. “It’s important to check that things like the lights, the seats, and the signage are all functioning properly so students are kept safe.”
Because about 70 per cent of school-vehicle related deaths happen while students are crossing the street to get on or off the bus, Ms. Wellington makes sure students look at her for a signal that it is safe to cross the street.
Being a bus driver is a big responsibility. Each driver is entrusted with the safety of dozens of students every day, so working together to keep everyone safe is key.
“When we let students off the bus, it is critical that they look at the driver before they cross the street,” she said. “We will wave or nod if it’s clear for students to cross.”
Bus drivers also watch to make sure students get off the bus at the correct stop, and that younger children are met at the bus stop by adult.
Despite an abundance of information about bus safety, Ms. Wellington still witnesses the odd car driving dangerously near her bus.
“It’s amazing how many drivers try to get ahead of a school bus or run a red light,” said Ms. Wellington. “Both students and motorists should know the rules so we minimize the chance of anything happening.”
When bus drivers witness motorists driving dangerously, they report it to police.
Although the responsibility is great, Ms. Wellington still enjoys the day-to-day interactions with students.
“If I take students to a track meet, I smile and wish them good luck,” said Ms. Wellington. “It takes only two seconds of my time to give them that positive reinforcement and it pays off. When students get back on the bus in the afternoon, they are all smiles.”