Attention! Buses with kids on board

School buses are returning to their daily routes, and the most salient advice for motorists is … pay attention. "Most of the time when we're talking about someone that gets stopped for a school bus violation or even when a report comes in from the schools about a school bus violation, generally what we find is it was someone that just wasn't paying attention," said Brian White, crime prevention officer for the Findlay Police Department. "They just didn't see the lights and they never even saw the school bus." "The biggest thing is pay attention," White said. "Driver distraction causes a lot of accidents. It also is a major contributor to people going through stop lights, stop signs, school buses. The biggest thing is pay attention." Newer drivers, even when they notice the bus lit up, sometimes panic because they don't know or recall what to do when they see a school bus. Some key reminders for motorists: • Watch for whether the bus's yellow/amber or red lights are flashing. Motorists should generally regard those lights similarly to how they view yellow and red at a traffic light. "Basically that yellow is an indication of the intention of the bus driver to stop and activate the stop bar," White said. If a motorist sees a bus flashing yellow lights and they are already at the bus, they may continue driving through cautiously. If the motorist is still approaching the bus, regardless of whether from the front or rear, it would be wise to stop. That's because the red lights will be flashing at any second and passing the bus at that point would be a violation. • "Anyone that is approaching a school bus (with its red lights flashing) on a two-lane road or a three-lane road — most likely on Blanchard Street — is required to stop, going both directions," White said. The same rule sometimes applies on a four-lane road. "Anyone that's on four lanes or more, they can pretty much stop if they are going the same direction as the bus," White said. "Anyone going the opposite direction, they are not required to stop." Four-lane roads tend to have higher speed limits, so on those roads, bus drivers tend to pick up and drop off students near a dedicated crosswalk. White said area schools do a good job of teaching children how to stay safe when not on the bus. But he offered some safety tips for parents to reinforce with their children: • One of the best things kids and their parents can do is to have their backpack and miscellaneous items prepared the night before so they are ready. Preparation prevents early morning hurry and confusion, which can lead to dangerous mistakes or inattention. • Don't talk to strangers. • Groups are good. There is strength in numbers. • Don't play on people's property. Stay off of their porches. Just wait for the bus. • Stay away from the street while waiting for the bus. When crossing a street, look both ways. • Follow the bus driver's directions. Wilin: 419-427-8413