(NAPSA)—If you’re looking for the safest way to get your children > a to school, consider the fact that the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Department of Transportation agree that school buses are the safest way to transport students to and from school. There are several reasons why school buses offer a safer form of transportation. First, traffic laws have been established to reduce school bus crashes. With few exceptions, drivers approaching or following a school bus must stop whenthe busis stopped, the stoparm is extended andits red lights are flashing. Vehicles must wait until the bus is again moving and the red lights are off before they may proceed. Secondly, school buses are manufactured with more safety equipment than any other vehicle on the road. School buses have reinforced sides, flashing red lights, crossview mirrors, a crossbar and stoparms, all of which ensure that children are protected and secure on andoff the bus. The industry operates by following safety, security, health and driver qualification guidelines that meet, and in some cases exceed, federal and state laws. These drivers submit to preemployment background checks and frequent driving record checks; in addition, periodic medical exams and tests are required to maintain their CDL with a School Bus Endorsement. Parents entrust their elementary and preteen children to school buses every day, but kids of all ages should take the bus for the same reason: safety. According to the Department of Transportation, school-age children are about 50 times morelikely to die traveling to school when they drive or ride with friends than if they take the bus. A startling statistic, but here is another: Recent research by Allstate Foundation found that 46 percent of teens admit to texting while driving and 50 percent said that they drive more safely without their friends in the car. Crash statistics show that the risk of a fatal crash goes up in direct relation to the numberof teenagers in the car. It’s clear that a teen driving to school or riding with friends is at greater risk than one whorides the school bus. When it comes to kids, the most important issue is safety. With some school districts short on funds and cutting bus routes, more students could be at risk. Every day, school buses safely transport 25 million students to school. That’s more than half of America’s schoolchildren. When it comes to your children’s safety, don’t compromise. Trust the school bus; it makes the grade.
