The first lesson this school year for parents, children is bus safety
By Rick Emert, Bamberg
bureau 
This year, one important subject that students and parents need to
study doesn’t come from any textbook.
The subject is school bus safety. And knowing the rules can save a
child’s life.
Unlike in the States, where all traffic stops for a loading or
unloading school bus, in Europe traffic has the right of way.
On post, however, U.S. Army Europe Regulation 190-1 states that
traffic from either direction must stop when approaching a school bus that is loading or
unloading students, said Staff Sgt. Charles Baker, desk sergeant at Bamberg Military
Police Station.
Because of the difference on either side of the gate, students must
change how they get on or off of a school bus, said Larry Webber, district transportation
officer for Department of Defense Dependents Schools’ Wurzburg District.
Since traffic isn’t required to stop for unloading students,
students who were taught to walk in front of a stopped school bus in the States must now
wait for the bus to finish unloading, then walk to the nearest intersection to cross the
street, Webber said.
Students in the United Kingdom have an added risk.
“Of all DODDS students, those in the United Kingdom face the
greatest degree of risk,” said Mike St. Clair, the student transportation officer for
DODDS-Europe. “Not only because traffic doesn’t stop for buses — which is
universal in Europe — but because we also have to teach students to be observant of
the reverse traffic flow.”
That’s why using crosswalks are fundamental, St. Clair said.
Another major difference in the United Kingdom is that all buses are
equipped with seatbelts. Students must be buckled up in their seats while the bus is
moving, St. Clair said.
But, DODDS isn’t letting children go into this blindly.
Schools throughout DODDS-Europe will conduct bus safety training for
students in all grades during the first two weeks of school, Webber said.
And all potential bus stops are assessed for safety risks before the
bus stop will be used.
“We have a very comprehensive checklist that we use,”
Webber said. “If the bus stop doesn’t meet our safety needs, we’ll change
the location.”
There are five main rules that children must follow at the bus stop:
Walk, don’t run to the bus stop.
Wait at least three steps back from the curb for the bus to stop
and begin loading students.
Take your seat and stay in your seat until the bus stops at your
school.
When getting off the bus, take three steps away from the curb and
stop until the bus finishes unloading and departs.
Never walk in front of or behind the school bus.
Additionally, students in grades 7-12 are taught to watch out for the
younger children at the bus stop, since many of the buses carry students in mixed grades,
Webber said.
The rules are reinforced through handouts distributed by the schools
and with bookmarks given out during the bus safety training, Webber said.
Webber offered some tips for parents to help make the school bus
experience safer for their children.
Have the students at the bus stop at least five minutes prior to the
scheduled departure time.
Make sure the student’s book bag isn’t too bulky for him to
walk with.
Be sure that children, especially in kindergarten through 3rd grade,
know how to get to the bus stop alone, in case a parent is unable to accompany them.
The DODDS transportation office highly encourages parents to pick up
their elementary school children at the bus stop at the end of the day. Webber added that
whether or not it’s required for parents to accompany their children at the bus stop
is up to each local installation’s command.
Webber said there have been no school bus accidents in the last two
years, and credits that to an increased bus safety campaign.
“We’re doing all we can to get the word out to parents and
students and have them focus on safety.”
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