XENIA — Several school districts are headed back to the classroom this week, and that means buses will be back on the roads.
News Center 7’s John Bedell talked to drivers and police in Greene County Monday about what to be aware of now that summer break is coming to an end.
Xenia Community Schools head back to class next Tuesday. This time of the year, school bus safety is top of mind for parents, grandparents, and police.
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Amanda DeBoard, of Englewood, said, “I have three children, and they ride the bus, too. So, I worry about my children as well as other children’s safety.”
DeBoard’s children head back to class later this month. Jeffrey Carson’s grandkids are going back to school next month.
“I think that drivers and motorists should be more observant of the school bus because it’s very important because I have grandchildren that ride the school bus,” Carson said.
With the new school year about to start, and more yellow school buses about to be on the road again, Carson and DeBoard said they’re thinking about school bus safety.
“There are people that don’t stop and go around them things,” DeBoard said.
News Center 7 talked with Kettering Police about when drivers in Ohio must stop for stopped school buses with their red lights flashing, and stop signs extended.
Officer Cynthia James, with Kettering Police, said, “Typically for traffic, you need to stop in both directions as long as there are fewer than four lanes on the street. If there are four or more lanes, then you do not need to stop going the opposite direction of the bus. You will need to just stop behind it.”
Kettering Police target traffic enforcement in and around school zones during active school zone hours.
“We are paying attention to the speeders. We are watching to make sure people are crossing the street legally, just to try to help keep everybody safe,” James said.
That work will start again on Thursday with the new school year in Kettering.
“Be mindful, pay attention to those big yellow buses, because those are our babies on there, and we want to see them come home every day,” DeBoard said.
News Center 7’s John Bedell is working on putting together a story on a unique partnership in Kettering aimed at keeping kids safer on their way to and from school. That story will air Thursday on News Center 7, starting at 5 pm.
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