If you walk your children to the school bus stop and wait until they’re safely seated before leaving, you may think you’ve done your job. In fact, school buses are almost eight times safer for children than privately driven vehicles. Nevertheless, other accident statistics indicate that we must take a closer look at the school bus safety issue. In its most recent report entitled, “Traffic Safety Facts: 2006 Data,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that between 1996 and 2006, there were 1, 387 fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes that were “school transportation-related.” Although about 140 people die in such crashes each year, most of the fatalities involve the passengers in the privately driven cars.

Still, close to nine children riding in school transportation vehicles died each year between 1996 and 2006. Numerous school-age pedestrians, age 19 or younger, have also lost their lives by coming into contact with school buses. About half of these young pedestrians who died were between the ages of five and seven.

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