Many of the roughly 1.7 million pre-K to 12th grade students in Georgia have returned to class, and AAA says more than a million of these children ride school buses. The automobile organization also says school buses are their safest travel mode.
Risk increases in the moment students board or offboard their yellow behemoths. Surrounding drivers shoulder most of that blame.
Gail Coleman has driven school buses for Fulton County Schools for 40 years. At a recent “School’s Open, Drive Carefully” event at Heards Ferry Elementary School in Sandy Springs, Coleman reflected on how the driving environment has changed.
“Most definitely worse,” she said. “Of course, people are in a hurry nowadays, bypassing my stop signs. They are on their phone; that’s what they’re doing. They’re distracted.”
Speed, distractions and stopping are the three tenets that AAA, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, Fulton County Schools and the Georgia State Patrol emphasized at the Sandy Springs event.
And rightfully so, as the statistics of what Georgia drivers actually admit to are harrowing.
AAA says 41% of Peach State drivers admit to speeding in school zones. Even more troubling, 28% admit to using mobile devices while driving in those same areas — and the real number could be higher.
“We have a responsibility as motorists. … And that is to keep them safe,” said Garrett Townsend, director of public affairs for AAA Georgia.
Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Chairman Allen Poole said approximately 9,000 Georgians run through school bus signs daily, which equals more than a million dangerous and illegal violations each year.
Eight-year-old Adalynn Pierce of Henry County lost her life last year when driver Kaylee Andre blew through Pierce’s bus stop and hit her. One life ended and many lives were changed by a single bad decision.
Pierce’s death was the impetus for Addy’s Law, which requires Georgia schools to plan safer bus routes, increases penalties for drivers who pass a stopped school bus, and directs schools to avoid bus routes with stops that require a child to cross a road where the speed limit is 40 mph or more.
Andre was sentenced to eight years in prison and seven more on probation in a non-negotiated plea deal.
GSP Lieutenant Christopher Carlisle reminded drivers of the life-and-death difference just 10 mph can make: “A child struck at 35 mph is four times more likely to die than one hit at 25 mph.” This is why obeying the low speed limit in school zones is so vital.
Carlisle also warned drivers to not only watch for stopped buses but also for any children making unpredictable moves when boarding.
Georgia law requires all drivers in both directions to stop when a school bus deploys its lights and stop arm. Students may be loading from both sides of the road, though drivers are supposed to pick students up on the side where their stop is.
The only time drivers do not have to stop for a stopped bus is if they are in the oncoming or opposite direction and there is a raised median dividing the road.
Riding the bus is stressful, especially for new students. This is why Cobb County gave first-timers at Chalker Elementary School in Kennesaw the chance for a dress rehearsal run on the Thursday before the school year began.
“They only choose one school to do this every year,” principal Nicole Bristow said. “And we are so excited to get to do it with our kindergartners coming in.” The party atmosphere for the young pupils at Chalker softened what could have been an intimidating day. And it gave these kids practice on the proper way to load onto their new rides.
States and counties are doing their part with drivers, equipment and enforcement. Surrounding commuters need to step up and do theirs.
“Just be patient,” Coleman said. “It could be your child on that bus at some point, and you would want them to be as safe as possible.”
Doug Turnbull covers the traffic/transportation beat for WXIA-TV (11Alive). His reports appear on the 11Alive Morning News from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and on 11Alive.com. Email Doug at dturnbull@11alive.com.
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