Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Office of School Bus Safety
Advancing the Safety of Student Transportation in New Jersey
The Office of School Bus Safety is committed to advancing the safety of student transportation in New Jersey through dedicated educational, compliance, and enforcement efforts. Our mission is to safeguard every student's journey, upholding the highest standards of safety in school transportation services.
Promoting Safety Through Education, Compliance, and Enforcement
“The safest way to transport children to and from school is by school bus. In fact, students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a school bus instead of traveling by car.” (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - NHTSA)
The most dangerous aspect of school buses is loading and unloading. Unfortunately, some motorists fail to follow the rules by driving around the school bus and ignoring the flashing lights. This puts students in grave danger.
Most school bus-related accidents occur within a 10-foot radius around the bus, where the driver has limited visibility. This area is called the "danger zone." It extends to 30 feet in front of the bus. To avoid accidents, teach your child to use caution when getting on or off the bus and always to stay out of the danger zone.” (New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission - NJMVC)
Did You Know?
The yellow and red flashing lights on a school bus play a significant role in student safety. School bus drivers activate the yellow flashing lights to alert other drivers and pedestrians that the bus is preparing to stop. Drivers of other vehicles are required to slow down when they see the yellow flashing lights and prepare to stop. School bus drivers will then activate the red flashing lights and the extended stop arm to alert other drivers and pedestrians that the bus has come to a complete stop, and students are entering or exiting the vehicle. Drivers of other vehicles are required to stop at least 25 feet from the bus and remain stopped until the bus deactivates the warning lights and begins to move.
It is against the law for any vehicle – to include bicycles – to pass a school bus that has the red flashing lights and extended stop arm activated. School bus drivers should not drive for an extended distance with the yellow flashing lights activated, as it causes confusion for other drivers who are preparing for the bus to stop. School bus drivers who are pulled over with yellow flashing lights activated while waiting for a student to arrive at the bus stop should not wave traffic to go around them. The driver should activate the red flashing lights and extended stop arm until the student arrives, or it is determined that the student is not attending that day. Waving vehicles on not only causes confusion, but also increases the likelihood for students to be at risk of not being aware of the change in traffic.
Student safety is the number one priority, even if another driver is required to wait an additional minute. Whether you are a school bus driver or another driver on the road, please do your part in ensuring that our students are safe in and around the school bus and all other vehicles on the road. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.