School Bus Safety

Bus Safety is Everyone's Responsibility

Thousands of students board school buses in West Virginia each day. Keeping them safe is the job of schools, bus drivers, families, motorists and communities. In 2025, a one-day survey by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services revealed that there were 200 illegal bus passings in the West Virginia. School bus drivers report close calls on a weekly basis, and most often distracted, speeding, and careless motorists are the cause.

While the school bus is one of the safest modes of transportation, illegally passing a bus places children at dire risk. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urges everyone to familiarize themselves with state laws and safety protocols.

According to W.Va. State Code §17C-12-7, passing a stopped school bus carries a minimum of a $500 fine and/or up to six months in jail for the first offense. West Virginia law also prohibits motorists from passing a school bus when the red lights are flashing drivers must come to a complete stop when the school bus stop-arm is extended and the red lights are flashing.

Boarding and Exiting a School Bus

The most dangerous part of the school bus ride is getting on and off the school bus. The school bus loading and unloading area is called the “Danger Zone.” Specifically, this is any side of the bus where a child may not be seen by the bus driver and, therefore, is in the most danger. These areas include:

• 10 feet in front of the bus, where the driver may be sitting too high to see a child
• 10 feet on either side of the bus, where a child may be in the driver’s blind spots
• Behind the school bus

Families are encouraged to help educate their children about proper school bus safety, and the need to stay alert at all times when approaching, standing at, or leaving the bus stop. This includes reminding them of school bus and bus stop safety practices such as:

• Waiting for the bus to come to a complete stop with red lights flashing and the safety bar extended
• Waiting for the bus driver to signal them that it is safe to cross the road and board the bus. 

Nationally, the NASDPTS reported 31,127 illegal morning bus passings, 2,217 at mid-day, and 33,914 in the evening.