Georgia will celebrate National School Bus Safety Week from Oct. 20-24 and School Bus Driver Appreciation Day on Monday, Oct. 20.
Schools and safety advocates will use the week as an opportunity to highlight the importance of school bus safety. The 2014 theme for the week, “Be Smart — Be Seen, I wait in a safe place,” reminds students, parents and motorists of the important role each plays in ensuring student safety at the school-bus stop.
One key factor in protecting Georgia’s students rests with motorists obeying the law and stopping for school buses as passengers board and exit. Motorists must have heightened safety awareness and expect the unexpected as children wait at bus stops and get on and off their school buses.
“As motorists, we have a responsibility to exercise care, be on the alert and obey all laws when we are near or at a school-bus stop,” Liberty County Superintendent Dr. Valya S. Lee said. “Liberty County School System is pleased to bring attention to this important public safety topic during National School Bus Safety Week.”
“When transportation is required, school buses are the safest way for students to get to and from school,” said Chad McCaskill, LCSS director of transportation. “This week is an excellent time to teach and reiterate to students and parents simple measures they can take while going to and from the bus stop, getting on and off the bus, and riding in the bus. It also gives us a chance to thank and honor the professional school-bus drivers who devote themselves to transporting our most precious cargo.”
More than 1 million students ride school buses twice each day in Georgia, with more than 26 million school children transported in 480,000 school buses nationwide.
For more information, call McCaskill at 369-6674.