A little history lesson

This is a great time to review what you should do if you approach a school bus. The laws are generally the same across the country; however, you should always check your state and local laws for any regulations that are specific to your area. How about a little history lesson to help get you up to speed?

The first school buses were horse-drawn carriages that appeared in the latter half of the 1800s. Wayne Works was the first company to build carriages specifically for transporting school children. Prior to this, children were conveyed to school in “kid hacks,” horse-drawn carriages often made from repurposed farm wagons. (Quincy, Massachusetts, was the first to provide publicly-funded transportation in 1869.) Then in 1914, Wayne Works built the first motorized school wagon. It was basically a wagon with a motor as the design didn’t change much.

As more schools began providing transportation for students, more people saw a need for set safety practices. In 1939, Dr. Frank Cyr organized a conference to develop school bus standards. At the conference, 44 national standards were created. One of these included the yellow color we recognize. However, it wasn’t until 1974 that the color became a nationwide standard.

So what do you do when you see that familiar yellow? Well, it’s pretty simple. If the bus is stopped, you should stop too. Those flashing red lights are your reminder!

But there is one law that can be confusing – and can differ slightly from state to state. This involves multi-lane highways. While children shouldn’t be crossing multiple lanes, you should always be cautious and watch out for them. In some states, drivers stop anytime a school bus stops, no matter the number of lanes. In other states, drivers do not have to stop if they are on a multi-lane highway, the school bus is on the opposite side of the highway, and there is a median or divider between the directions of traffic. You’ll want to check your state’s laws.

Keeping our kids safe is a top priority. Always exercise caution when you see a school bus. That bright yellow color was selected because it is eye-catching!