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Bus Danger Zones

Observe and discuss with your child the school bus “Danger Zones”
The danger zone is the space all around the school bus. It goes out 10 feet. The school bus driver cannot see the children in this zone, especially around the wheels. It is very dangerous to be in this area.
Here are some important rules for your child that must be followed for “danger zone” avoidance.
  1. Do not cross between two or more parked buses.
  2. Never try to get anything that is dropped around the bus. Tell the driver or a teacher.
  3. Tell the bus driver if you have to cross the street after being dropped off. California has special laws concerning this issue.
Help your child schedule appropriate time to get to his/her bus stop. Encourage him/her to:
  1. Plan to leave home at the same time every day and get to the bus stop with five minutes to spare without hurrying. When your child rushes to catch the bus, he/she may be careless when crossing the street or approaching the bus.
  2. Wait for the school bus in a safe place. Playing around the bus stop is not safe.
  3. If any streets must be crossed between home and the bus stop, remember to stop, listen, look left, right, and left again before crossing.
  4. Go directly to bus stop. Highway 62 and State Route 247 (Old Woman Springs Road) must NEVER be crossed. Stops exist on both sides of these busy roads. Any student seen crossing over these roads will be subject to disciplinary action.
  5. Form lines facing the direction from which the bus will approach.
  6. Wait back at least 10 feet from the edge of the roadway until the bus has come to a complete stop and the front door has opened.
  7. Get on the bus in single file. Do not push or shove.
  8. Our drivers are properly trained and buses are properly equipped to deal with late arriving students.
Help your child understand and follow these rules when disembarking from the bus:
  1. Stay seated until the bus comes to a complete stop. The driver will tell you when you may leave or escort the group from the bus.
  2. Let the closest to the front off first.
  3. Always use the handrail going up and down the steps.
  4. Watch your step. Don’t jump off the bus.
  5. Move away from the bus door quickly.
  6. Stay clear of the wheels.
  7. Don’t go after anything that rolls or falls under or in front of the bus. Tell the driver about it.
  8. Never reach back into the bus through the windows.
  9. Observe safety procedures and be alert for traffic after leaving the bus.
  10. Go directly home. Do not talk to strangers and do not accept rides from strangers.
Stress the importance of following these rules while the bus is moving:
  1. California law requires each pupil to remain seated while the bus is in motion.
  2. Students must take their seat, face forward and remain seated at all times on the bus.
  3. Be courteous to your school bus driver and fellow passengers.
  4. Direct your child to respect and follow the directions of the bus driver. It is for their safety. Drivers need to give as much attention as possible to the task of driving. A discipline problem could distract them.
  5. Sit only in regular seats and keep hands and arms inside the bus at all times.
  6. Do not make, or cause to be made, unnecessary noise such as loud talking, screaming, stomping of feet, loud singing or any other noise which would distract the driver.
  7. No fighting or scuffling while on the bus.
  8. Do not throw any article in or out of the bus.
  9. No eating or drinking on buses
  10. No deliberate or unnecessary littering of the bus with paper, gum or other trash
  11. No animals or reptiles on the bus (except seeing-eye dogs).
If your student’s bus stop necessitates a red light escort and/or crossing, the following procedures are to be followed:
  1. The driver must do several preliminary procedures prior to the student exiting the bus.
  2. The students will line up to exit the bus.
  3. The driver is to ask students if they need to be crossed.
  4. The driver, when ready to disembark the bus, will be the first to exit.
  5. Disembarking student(s) who do not need to cross the roadway will move quickly away from the bus after exiting.
  6. Student(s) who need to cross the roadway will wait in front and to the right of the bus where they can see the driver and the driver can see them.
  7. Students are not to cross the roadway until the driver gives them a verbal command to do so.
  8. When safe to cross, the student will walk, not run, completely across the street/roadway and continue moving away from the street/roadway.
  9. If the students are currently in grades 1 through grades 8, they are to be escorted by the driver across the street/roadway. Grades 9-12 may cross at the instruction of the driver.
  10. If the student has forgotten anything on the bus or dropped something in the roadway, they are to tell the driver.
  11. Students are not to run back into the roadway once they have crossed the roadway.
** Parents must not park across the street from the bus stop as routes are designed to assure optimal student safety. Please do not compromise our intent by making students cross over any roads or highways. Some roadways have been deemed unsafe to cross in our district. Your bus driver will communicate with your students if they are not allowed to cross certain roads. Students who disregard these instructions may be subject to the school bus discipline procedures.
** Drivers will report in the form of a district approved incident report whenever a parent compromises the safety of a student by parking on the opposite side of a road or highway necessitating a student crossover.
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