National School Bus Safety Week will take place from October 20 to 24, and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is urging drivers to be cautious around school buses during this period. The department emphasizes the importance of stopping when a school bus displays flashing red lights and extends its stop-arm.
The Sheriff’s Office highlights that riding the bus remains the safest way for children to travel to and from school. However, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that between 2000 and 2023, there were 61 deaths in crashes involving drivers who illegally passed stopped school buses. Of these fatalities, 26 were pedestrians aged 18 or younger.
California law generally requires vehicles traveling in both directions to stop when a school bus has its red lights flashing. Drivers must remain stopped until the lights are off and children have safely crossed the road.
“When a school bus’s red lights are flashing and the stop-arm is extended, drivers have a legal responsibility to slow down and come to a complete stop,” said Deputy Damian Ruiz of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. “Parents, caregivers and children are relying on drivers to follow the law to keep them safe.”
For further information, the public is encouraged to contact the Media Information Bureau. Those interested in a career with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office can visit joinrso.org or call 1-888-Join-RSD.
