dmv-will-showcase-school-bus-safety-in-stafford

dmv-will-showcase-school-bus-safety-in-stafford

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2023


DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SAFETY DIVISION INSPECTORS WILL SHOWCASE SCHOOL BUS SAFETY THIS SATURDAY IN STAFFORD

WETHERSFIELD, Conn. – Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Commercial Vehicle Safety Division inspectors will be showcasing school bus safety this Saturday at Stafford Child Safety Day. The event will be held this Saturday, May 13, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Stafford High School located at 145 Orcuttville Road in Stafford Springs.  

An estimated 500,000 Connecticut students ride to and from school each day in school buses and other school transportation vehicles.  As the lead state agency responsible for enforcing school transportation safety, DMV’s bus safety program runs throughout the year and covers a variety of safety concerns ranging from testing and licensing to mechanical operation and illegal passing of a stopped school bus.

“DMV is the public’s eyes and ears in the bus yard and at the licensing counter. This also includes getting out into the community and talking about safety,” said DMV Commissioner Tony Guerrera, who noted the agency inspects approximately 11,000 school buses a year. 

On Saturday, DMV inspectors will be discussing school bus safety, and in addition for parents, providing tips for sharing the road with all commercial vehicles. DMV, along with other agencies, will also be offering recruitment information.  

Stafford Child Safety Day will offer interactive vehicle displays featuring police cruisers, fire trucks, an ambulance, a high-tech satellite truck, several military vehicles, an environmental display, an aerial drone demonstration as well as many safety and wellness booths. 

Safety should be practiced every day, the Commissioner cautioned. For instance, motorists should:

  • Watch for children traveling to school when driving in neighborhoods with school zones. Children are unpredictable in their actions, and it is motorists' responsibility to anticipate and prepare to react to what children may do.
  • Drive slowly. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood.
  • Watch for children playing and gathering near school bus stops.

Students and parents can also protect themselves by following some rules, too. They should observe the following rules: 

  • Be at the bus stop at least 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. 
  • When the bus approaches, stand at least 6 feet away from the edge of the road, and line up away from the street.
  • Wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver says that it is okay before stepping on the bus.

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