Don't Expect Cars to Stop for School Buses

Kids should take safety into their own hands when they're getting on and off school buses, the Ohio State Highway Patrol says.

From 2008 to 2010, 4,438 motorists were cited for failing to stop for a school bus when its red lights were flashing.

In Ohio's District 3, which includes Cuyahoga County, 1,191 people were convicted of passing a school bus.

"Although drivers of all vehicles are required to stop for a school bus when it is stopped to load or unload passengers, children should not rely on them to do so," said Col. John Born, Patrol superintendent.

In Strongsville, kids will be climbing on school buses again next week. Classes start Aug. 24 for grades 1-9; kindergartners and high schoolers in grades 10-12 start Aug. 25.

According to the Patrol, from 2008 to 2010, there were 5,192 crashes involving school buses on Ohio's roads -- about 1,731 a year. 

School bus drivers were at fault about 44 percent of the time; in 46 percent of the incidents, the other driver was at fault. No errors were made in 9 percent of the crashes, and animals caused 1 percent.

In those crashes, 18 people were killed, two of them on the buses.

The patrol has 23 teams of motor vehicle inspectors that examine all Ohio school buses at least twice a year -- once before school starts and once during the school year.

From 2008 to 2010, that amounted to 140,179 inspections, the patrol said in a news release.