MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota. It’s back to school season. For children who ride the school bus, parents, teachers, and community members are taking the time to teach children school bus safety. Yet, this year, as temperatures reach record highs in some parts of the country, parents, teachers, and schools need to consider yet another risk that school buses pose to children—heat.
In some parts of the country, the heat index has gotten so high that communities have had to cancel school bus service. Many school buses don’t come equipped with air conditioning and the windows can only open so wide. For the children and driver inside these vehicles, the temperatures can quickly become dangerously hot. In Las Cruces, New Mexico, when the temperatures reached 104 degrees, the school district had to cancel after school bus service. Local officials noted that in the non-air conditioned buses, the temperatures inside the bus can exceed temperatures outside the bus by several degrees.
What are some ways that parents can keep their children safe if they ride the bus? First of all, it is important to keep things in perspective. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, school buses remains the safest vehicles on the road. School buses are designed to keep children safe in the event of a crash and safety rules regarding how traffic should behave around school buses is highly regulated.
The biggest risk that children face is when they are entering, exiting, and waiting for the school bus. Children should be taught to stand at least three giant steps (or six feet) away from the road. When entering or exiting the bus, children should wait until the bus comes to a complete stop. When children need to cross in front of the bus, they should be taught to walk at least ten feet in front of the bus, so that the driver can see them.
When it comes to school bus heat risks, the children at greatest risk are those with special needs. There have been cases where children have been forgotten on the bus while riding to school. Children with special needs who are left on a hot bus can suffer heat stroke or even death if they are not removed from the bus in a timely manner. What can parents do to protect their children? One way they can ensure that their children are not left on a hot bus is to ask the school to give them a call if their children don’t arrive in school. This way, parents can be alerted when their child was put on a bus, but may not have left the bus.
Still, when it comes to children’s school bus safety, everyone plays a role. This includes bus drivers, teachers, school officials, and parents. If you or someone you love was hurt in a bus accident, contact the Law Offices of Martin T. Montilino, a personal injury lawyer in Minneapolis, Minnesota today. Our qualified personal injury lawyers may be able to help you seek damages for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages. Visit us at https://martinmontilino.com/ to learn more.
THE LAW OFFICE OF MARTIN T. MONTILINO, LLC
3109 Hennepin Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55408
Phone: (612) 236-1320