School bus safety a priority before Ohio students go back to school
August 13, 2018
Ohio Highway Patrol motor vehicle inspector Mark King performs an annual inspection on a school bus to make sure it is ready to be out on the road and safely transport students. Kristi Garabrandt - The News-Herald
By Kristi Garabrandt, The News-Herald
With summer winding down and the school year close to beginning, kids across Ohio will soon switch from riding bikes to riding school buses.
While parents and students shop for school supplies, the Ohio Highway Patrol and bus garages throughout the state are doing their part to get ready as well.
OHP motor vehicle inspectors have been busy inspecting school buses to make sure they are road ready and capable of safely transporting students.
There are more than 24,000 school buses in Ohio, according to inspector Mark King, and every one of them has to go through two inspections each year.
From 2015 to 2017, OHP performed 121,172 bus inspections.
The state requires that each bus undergo a full inspection annually before it can be certified to be out on the road and transporting students.
This includes a full interior and exterior examination of each bus.
The suspension, the engine, frame, body, lighting, tires and safety features are all checked to be sure everything is working correctly.
If a minor violation such as an interior light not working is discovered, the garage is required to fix it in a timely manner.
If it's a serious violation such as bald tires, brakes out of adjustment or a worn suspension system, the bus is put out of service until repairs are made.
In addition to the annual inspection during the summer months, the inspectors work throughput the school year doing unannounced spot inspections to ensure the buses are maintained.
"We have some of the strictest safety restrictions in the country," King said. "Our inspections are difficult, so our buses are pretty safe."
All bus inspections are public record. A complete statistical breakdown of school bus inspection, crashes and passing stopped school bus violations can be found at www.statepatrol.ohio.gov.
While inspectors are working to make sure the buses are safe to transport students, patrol officers are working to make motorists aware that as the buses return to the roadways they need to be on the lookout for children boarding and unboarding buses.
State law requires that motorists stop at least 10 feet in front of or behind a school bus when flashing lights and an extended arm are displayed. The motorist cannot resume driving until the bus has begun to move.
According to the OHP, between 2015 to 2017, there were 4,198 drivers convicted of failing to stop for a school bus.
"Safety on the roadway is a shared responsibility," said Lt. Larry Roberts, commander of the Chardon Highway Patrol Post. "Motorists should always exercise caution while children are boarding and exiting school buses."
OHP reminds motorists to allow extra traveling time for school bus stops.
"Keeping children safe on Ohio's school buses is a priority for the Highway Patrol," Roberts said. "Even though motorists are required to stop, as a safety measure children should always look both ways before crossing the street and remain alert to any sudden traffic changes."
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