With public schools about back in session, the Hattiesburg Police Department has asked people to refresh themselves on school bus safety.
This means school buses will be operating and children will be on and off them, as well as walking to schools.
HPD asks that motorists please be mindful of school zone speed limits and watch for children crossing the roadways, especially during school hours.
If you are driving, remember these simple rules:
Yellow flashing lights on a school bus mean slow down — don’t speed up — because the bus is preparing to stop. There are likely students waiting to get on or off the bus.
Red flashing lights mean stop — and wait at least 20 feet behind the bus — because children are getting on or off the school bus. Stay stopped until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving.
Even when lights aren’t flashing, watch for children, particularly in the morning or mid-afternoon, around school arrival and dismissal times. Be alert as you back out of a driveway, or drive through a neighborhood, school zone or bus stop.
NEVER pass a stopped school bus.
HPD and other agencies around the state will have officers monitoring school zones, so be sure you watch your speed, and allow a little extra time for school traffic on your morning commute.
