(WTVF) — As the new school year begins, it's important to focus on the rules of the road that keep Tennessee students safe.
Pedestrian crashes typically spike at the start of the school year. Here is some road safety advice when you come across a school bus stop.
The first advice: slow down and pay attention. If you can't see the school bus, you can't stop for it.
When you see a school bus slowing down with its lights flashing, drivers in both directions need to come to a stop. That's on all neighborhood streets with two lanes. It also includes larger streets with a turn lane or shared median lane.
The one exception to the rule is on a multi-lane divided street. Drivers going the opposite direction may keep driving only if there is a physical barrier in the median, like a concrete wall or unpaved space of at least five feet. This may be the case in some of our rural areas where kids are picked up on larger, divided streets or highways.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol shared the following examples to help drivers.
Remember, in Nashville many students use WeGo buses to get to and from school as well. So you'll also want to be extra alert at city bus stops.
