The new school year for Charlottesville, VA (Albemarle County) begins on August 20th. One common denominator of the beginning of a new school session is the big, yellow, school buses you will begin to see on common roads, streets and highways that were almost non-existent during the summer.
In 2013, there were 569 school bus crashes in the state of Virginia. 3 of the crashes were fatal; 195 of the crashes were personal injury crashes; 371 of the crashes were property damage crashes; and 8 persons were injured getting on or off of a school bus.
Because of this, we all need a little refresher/reminder of school bus and traffic safety tips during the school year:
Watch for school buses. Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm indicate the school bus is stopping to load or unload children. A person is guilty of reckless driving who fails to stop, when approaching from any direction, any school bus which is stopped on any highway, private road or school driveway for the purpose of taking on or discharging children, the elderly, or mentally or physically handicapped persons, and to remain stopped until all the persons are clear of the highway, private road or school driveway and the bus is put in motion.
Motorists should also be aware when driving in neighborhoods or school zones, to watch for children who may be in a hurry, and not paying attention, to get to or away from school and may not be thinking about getting there safely. Please, slow down and obey all traffic laws and speed limits; be alert for school zones that have a reduced speed limit at designated times of the day; keep an eye out for children walking in the street, especially where there are no sidewalks, and pay attention for children playing and gathering near bus stops and for those who may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
Encourage your children when taking a bus to and from school, to always wait for the bus to stop before approaching it. Double check to make sure no traffic is coming before crossing the street and make sure to always remain in clear view of the bus driver.
Even though this article pertains to school bus safety, Attorney Warren’s book entitled: A Crash Course in Virginia Automobile Injury Cases, is a great way to ensure that you protect your rights after any type of vehicle accident. To receive a free copy of the book, click the following link: A Crash Course in Virginia Automobile Injury Cases.
Although The Warren Firm is located in Charlottesville, VA, Vaden Warren accepts and tries cases from all over Virginia, including Richmond, Louisa, Tappahannock, Lynchburg, and many other surrounding cities and towns. If you or a loved one has been involved in a Virginia car accident, please do not hesitate to give us a call at (434) 972-9090 or visit our website at The Warren Firm.
