What Is School Bus Safety Week

Held on the third week of October, “National School Bus Safety Week” is an annual campaign dedicated to raising awareness of America’s school bus safety standards. Organizers hope this seven-day event improves communication in the school bus industry spreads ideas on new safety guidelines and innovations.

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The National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) is the main organization responsible for promoting School Bus Safety Week. The National School Transportation Association (NSTA) and the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS), however, also play crucial roles in this campaign.

The highlight of each year’s School Bus Safety Week is a nationwide Poster Contest. Members of the NAPT encourage students to create colorful designs that highlight one aspect of school bus safety. The main feature of last year’s winning design automatically becomes the theme for next year’s School Bus Safety Week.

Although roughly 480,000 American school buses hit the roads each day, the average rate of school bus accidents is surprisingly low. In fact, while there have been a few tragic crashes in the past, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates just one percent of total traffic fatalities involve some type of school bus.

Amazingly, the NHTSA says the chances of a student arriving safely at school is 70-times greater in a bus versus a car. There are many reasons school buses are safer than average cars, but a few of the obvious reasons include their high visibility, strong legal protection, and rollover-proof design.

In addition to promoting safety standards, School Bus Safety Week hopes to spread these NHTSA facts with parents and educators. By empowering Americans with knowledge, the NAPT hopes more people will appreciate all those involved in the school bus industry.

Anyone can learn more about this year’s School Bus Safety Week on the NAPT’s website. Children interested in participating in the annual Poster Contest could send in their applications on this webpage.

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