When the Bus Stops, You Must Stop

By Nino Serriti

On a quiet afternoon in May, what should have been a normal school-bus drop-off nearly became a tragedy.

A six-year-old boy—let’s call him Jeremy for privacy—was stepping off his school bus near his home. The stop-arm was out, the red lights flashing, every signal telling drivers to stop. Yet one driver didn’t. A maroon SUV sped past the bus, missing Jeremy by only a few feet.

His grandfather saw it happen. He shouted, reached, and pulled the boy back in time. The bus driver hit the horn. Jeremy froze in fear. One second later, and the outcome could have been fatal.

This wasn’t a fluke. It was a choice—and it’s happening across America every day.

A Hidden Crisis on Our Streets

Each school day, tens of thousands of drivers illegally pass stopped school buses—despite flashing red lights and extended stop signs.

• Over 43 million illegal passings occur annually in the U.S.
• From 2012–2021, 206 school-aged children died in school transportation-related incidents.
• Most deaths occur outside the bus, while children are boarding or stepping off.
• Studies show these violations are intentional, not accidental.

These numbers represent children—kids like Jeremy—whose safety depends on adults making the right choice behind the wheel.

A Call for Responsibility

Protecting children at bus stops isn’t just a parental concern—it’s a citywide responsibility.

Local governments must treat bus-stop violations as a public safety emergency. That means patrols during pickup and drop-off times, clearer signage, and stronger penalties for violators.

School districts can play a leading role by:

• Identifying high-risk stops and improving visibility.
• Installing stop-arm cameras to record violators.
• Partnering with police to enforce and publicize school bus laws.

Communities can help by spreading awareness and refusing to tolerate reckless behavior around buses. The message must be simple and consistent: when the bus stops, you stop—no excuses.

Solutions That Work

Evidence shows clear, proven steps that reduce risk:

• Districts that install stop-arm cameras see up to a 40% drop in illegal passings.
• Public safety campaigns like “Operation Safe Stop” have lowered violations when sustained.
• Cities that combine increased enforcement with public education have seen dramatic reductions in repeat offenses.

These tools are already working in other states. Our communities should adopt them now—before another close call turns tragic.

A Moral Imperative

Jeremy’s near-miss is more than a frightening story—it’s a warning. For one child, the outcome was luck and timing. For another, it could be loss and heartbreak.

Every parent trusts that when a school bus stops, their child is safe. Every driver has a duty to make that trust real. Passing a stopped school bus isn’t just illegal—it’s immoral. It’s a choice that endangers the most innocent among us.

The solution begins with awareness, enforcement, and community resolve. We already know how to fix this problem; we just need the will to act.

When the bus stops, the world must stop. Because our children’s lives aren’t negotiable.

— Nino Seritti writes about family, health, and the value of community from his home in Seven Hills, Ohio… and, when encountering difficult people, reminds himself that patience counts as cardio.