Where are more bus fatalities likely to occur?

• A. The 10 ft danger zone immediately surrounding the bus
• B. Inside the bus during boarding
• C. In the parking lot far from the bus
• D. In classrooms near bus drop-off

Answer: (A)

The most dangerous place for bus-related fatalities is the area directly around the bus, within about 10 feet. This zone is where children can be struck as the bus is starting to move or as they’re crossing in front of or near the bus, often because the driver’s view is limited by the bus and mirrors. That is why safe behavior focuses on keeping clear of the bus until the driver has signaled it’s safe to move and children stay in designated crossing areas.

Being inside the bus during boarding, while risky in its own right, is less about pedestrians and more about potential injuries inside the vehicle; the parking lot far away from the bus is unlikely to be where fatalities occur, and classrooms near the drop-off aren’t the typical sites for bus-related fatalities.