Northwest Local Transportation Department
Our Main Focus is the Safe Transportation of Your Child.
While the school bus is still the safest form of transportation, there are inherent dangers that can put your child’s life at risk. The sad truth is, nationwide, for every one child killed inside a bus, ten are killed outside the bus in loading and unloading areas of a bus called the “Danger Zone.”
The “Danger Zone” is the area on all sides of the bus where children are in the most danger of not being seen by other cars or the bus driver. It only takes a second for a driver to lose sight of a student as they board the bus. This is also the area where your child is at the greatest risk of being hit by a passing car.
Good News! We can drastically reduce the danger your child faces:
In compliance with the Ohio Administrative Code, your child’s driver has assigned them a “Place of Safety,” in both the AM and PM (O.A.C 3301-83-13 ). This location is designed to keep them at a safe distance from the bus so that they can safely load or unload. The location has been chosen to provide the driver clear visibility of your child by keeping them out of the bus's blind spots and at a safe distance from the bus so that if a car were to illegally pass, they would remain safe.
Your child is required (by state law) to be standing at their “Place of Safety” in the morning. It is recommended that students should be at their “Place of Safety” at least 5 minutes before the bus arrives. Ohio law requires children to be waiting at the bus stop prior to its arrival. Bus drivers count the students at the bus stop before they load and as they get on the bus to ensure all children are safely on board. If students are not waiting at the bus stop the bus driver cannot count them and cannot be certain the students are all safely on board. Waiting at the bus stop before the bus arrives further ensures that no one chases after the bus – this is a very dangerous thing to do. If you keep your child in your car or home until the bus arrives you are significantly increasing the odds that they will be hit by a car or run over by their own bus. There are many blind spots on a bus, especially from behind the bus. Never allow your child to chase a bus down; the driver cannot see them and could easily run over them.
In the afternoon, your child is also assigned a place of safety. When they exit the bus they need to walk directly to their place of safety and then turn around and face the bus. Once the bus pulls away, when it is no longer a danger to your child, they are then free to leave.
We understand how difficult it is to read some of the dangers of students not being in their place of safety, but safety truly is our top priority and we want parents to clearly understand the dangers. We thank you for trusting us with your child. We thoroughly enjoy being the first people they see in the morning and the last they see in the afternoon. We will work to continue to keep each and every child as safe as possible! If you have and other concerns or questions please contact: NWLSD Transportation Department (513)825-4600.