School zones exist to deter unsafe conduct and criminal activity. Those approaching the area immediately around a school on public roads will usually see signs notifying them of the proximity of an educational institution. In some cases, there may even be special speed limits that apply on certain streets at particular times of day throughout the week.
Despite locals and even those unfamiliar with the roads generally being able to identify school zones, a large number of crashes each year occur near schools or involve school transportation systems. Adults tend to assume that school transportation and school zones are generally safe, but statistics paint a different picture.
There are an average of 10 deaths each month
Between 2010 and 2019, there was an average of 120 fatalities each year associated with school transportation. School zone fatalities are not the rarity that people might assume that they are. Crashes right near schools or involving School transportation are quite common. A handful of these collisions will have tragic consequences.
Pedestrians are at elevated risk
Students who walk to school might actually have more risk for getting hurt on the way to and from class than their peers who ride the bus. During the decade that researchers reviewed, there were more pedestrian deaths than fatalities among occupants of school buses. At least 203 pedestrians died during those years in school transportation collisions, while 126 people in school buses lost their lives. According to a review of bus occupant deaths, 58 of those school bus fatalities involved drivers, rather than passengers.
Younger children suffer the greatest risks
Although there are children of all ages involved in tragic school transportation incidents, more than half of those who died were between the ages of five and 10. Their overall smaller size may affect their visibility in traffic.
Although school administrators and local officials may do their best to keep students safe while on buses and near school, collisions are still a risk for families. Taking legal action, such as filing a civil lawsuit, is often a reasonable response to a school zone or school bus tragedy.