A new school year is upon us, and that means school buses will soon be rolling down the roads of our cities and towns. While school buses are safe—the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that less than 1% of all traffic fatalities involved children on school buses—risks remain when driving near school buses and in school zones.

In fact, approaching and leaving a school bus is a risky time for children, so all drivers should operate their vehicles safely around school buses and in school pickup and drop-off areas.

The NTSHA website reminds us that “when you see a school bus slowing down or stopping, it’s not just the bus that you need to have your eyes on, but also the surrounding area too.” Children often have to cross the street to get on or off the bus, which is why drivers must stop for school buses.

Here’s a reminder of safe driving practices around school buses. Consider holding a scheduled driver training session focused on safe driving around schools and school buses, and post general reminder signs in drivers’ break rooms. This can be especially helpful for drivers on local roads, where they are more likely to encounter school buses.

The number one rule to remember when it comes to school bus safety is that it is illegal to pass a school bus when children are getting on or off. The riskiest time for children is when they are getting onto or off a school bus. When the bus’s stop arm is extended and the red lights are flashing, drivers must stop. They must stay stopped until the lights stop flashing and the stop arm is withdrawn.

Flashing lights on a school bus mean something too. When bus drivers are preparing to stop, they activate the yellow flashing lights. Tell your drivers that when they see yellow flashing lights, they need to be prepared to stop their truck.

Have drivers pay attention to the area immediately surrounding the bus. They should leave a safety zone of at least 10 feet in front of, behind, and on either side of a school bus.

When driving through school zones and at crosswalks, drivers should be extra careful to watch for children who may dart out into the street without looking.

Distracted driving is never a good idea, but it is even more important to stay 100% focused on the road near schools.

Operating safely around school buses is not the only place to practice safe driving. Many school-age children ride their bikes or scooters to school. Remind drivers to be extra careful around children on bikes. Children likely don’t understand truck blind spots and may pull up alongside a truck where they can’t be seen by the driver. Drivers should check their mirrors more often when in school zones to have a clear view of what’s behind and beside them.

Truck drivers need to be especially vigilant at crosswalks to make sure all children have cleared the crosswalk before driving through. In addition, remind them not to block the crosswalk; doing so forces pedestrians to go around the truck and could put them in the path of oncoming traffic.

When it comes to safety around school buses and in school zones, the best advice is to stay alert and aware of everything happening around you. Doing so should ensure a safe school year for everyone.