School is already in session for many students in Ohio, and will be soon for those in West Virginia. With the beginning of the school year comes a possible change to our morning or afternoon driving routines, as school buses filled with children will be everywhere.

Get back in the mindset of giving yourself plenty of time to get to your destination during pick-up and drop-off hours. School buses may be a little slower and make frequent stops, but the drivers are not out to get you, personally. Their job is to make sure kids get to and from school safely. And they can do that because (most) drivers follow a few rules.

Never pass a bus while the stop arm is extended and the red lights are flashing. Children may be crossing in front of the bus to get to the other side of the street.

Don’t tailgate a bus. You may see the yellow flashing lights too late, despite the driver’s best efforts to let you know the bus is slowing down and preparing for a stop.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, children are more at risk when approaching or leaving a school bus than they are on the bus itself. Still, between 2014 and 2023, 113 occupants were killed in school transportation vehicles — 48 of them drivers, 65 passengers.

Again, be prepared, be patient and follow the rules. If you encounter a bus with its stop arm extended and red lights flashing, STOP. Do not start your vehicle moving again until the stop arm is withdrawn, the lights are turned off and the bus begins to move. Be a responsible driver — part of the team keeping our kids safe on their way to and from school.

The NHTSA says illegal passing of stopped school buses is a prevalent issue, nationwide. Let’s be certain that here, in the Mid-Ohio Valley, it disappears completely.