Bus Danger Zone

The Danger Zone is a 10-foot wide area on all sides of a school bus--an area where children are in the most danger of being hit. Children should be taught to stay 10 feet away from a school bus (or as far away as they can) and never go behind it. They should be told to take five giant steps in front of the bus before crossing so the driver can see them. (NHTSA)

Although school buses are the safest way to get children to school, an average of 30 school-age children die in school bus-related traffic crashes each year. (NHTSA)

Most of the school-age children killed in school bus-related crashes each year are pedestrians, and nearly half of the school-age pedestrians killed in those crashes are from 5 to 7 years old. They are hit in the "Danger Zone" around the bus, either by a passing vehicle or by the bus itself. (NHTSA)

Young children are most likely to be hit because they:

• Hurry to get on or off a school bus.

• Act before they think and have little experience with traffic.

• Assume motorists will see them and will wait for them to cross.

• Don't always stay within the bus driver's sight. (NHTSA)