The Roads Change When School Starts: Here’s What Every Driver Should Know

Even if you don’t have school-age children, you’ll probably notice when school is back in session. The start of the school year changes traffic patterns throughout the community, bringing more cars, buses, cyclists, and pedestrians onto the roads and making back-to-school driving safety important for everyone.

There’s increased car and foot traffic during school drop off and pickup hours, there are school buses on the road and there might even be some drowsy drivers still adjusting to their new routines. Because of this we typically see an uptick in pedestrian accidents, school bus crashes and bike crashes once school starts.

But there are ways to keep you, your family, and others safe during this shift in seasons. In this article we’ll tell you what the law says about driving in a school zone or near school buses, and we’ll give you safety tips for you, your young kids, and teen drivers, so that everyone can get through this transition period unscathed. 

What the Data Says About Driving During Back-to-School Time

While car crashes and vehicle related deaths are highest during the summer months, pedestrian injuries and fatalities, especially those involving children, increase in fall through the winter. In 2023, the most recent year for which we have data, 7,314 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes and 68,244 were injured across the country.¹  

The data highlights several risks children face as they travel to and from school on foot, by bike, by bus, and in cars: 

• Afternoon dismissal is a particularly dangerous time. Most pedestrian fatalities involving children occur between 3 and 4 p.m.² 
• Children ages 10–14 face significant pedestrian risks. This age group was the most likely to be injured as pedestrians in traffic crashes, with most injuries and deaths occurring after dark and away from intersections.³ 
• Teen driver fatigue may increase crash risk. Early high school start times have been associated with 16.5% more car crashes involving teen drivers due to lack of sleep.⁴ 
• Pediatric e-bike injuries have risen sharply. The frequency of pediatric e-bike-related injuries increased from 4.2% in 2019 to nearly 50% in 2023.⁵ 
• School bus-related crashes remain a concern. School bus-related fatalities increased 23% from 2022 to 2023. Nearly 38% of fatalities among school-age children involved in these crashes were pedestrians.⁶ ⁸ 
• Driver behavior plays a major role in school-zone safety. The three most common causes of school-zone crashes are driver inattention, speeding, and failure to yield to pedestrians. Vehicle speed is also the most important risk factor for pedestrian injuries.⁷ ⁹ 

Children walking home from school without an adult may also face greater risk: they are 64% more likely to be injured in a pedestrian accident than children accompanied by an adult.¹⁰ 

Rules for Driving in a School Zone that Everyone Needs to Know

The speed limits for driving in a school zone vary by state but typically range from 15 mph to 25 mph. You must look for and yield to crosswalks and crossing guards. Not following these rules can mean stiff penalties with fines often doubled for violations in a school zone. Even worse, unsafe driving could result in a pedestrian injury or death. 

Laws for Driving Near School Buses: Stopping, Passing, and Liability 

Students entering and exiting school buses are vulnerable to passing drivers. They can be difficult to see and cross the street unexpectedly. That’s why all states require drivers approaching a stopped school bus to also stop, and while the wording of the laws vary by state, the basic rules are consistent:

• If you are behind a school bus and you see yellow flashing lights, you are usually required to slow down and stop. These lights indicate the school bus is about to stop and unload children.  
• If you see red flashing lights as you approach a school bus, virtually every state’s laws require you to stop. These lights indicate that the bus has stopped and children are either getting on the bus or getting off of it. These lights are a good indication that you should be alert to children or parents crossing the street unexpectedly. 
• If you are approaching a school bus from the back of the bus, generally you must stop when you see yellow and red lights flashing. Passing the bus while these lights are flashing can result in a penalty. 
• If you are approaching the school bus from the front (i.e. traveling in the opposite direction as the school bus), the laws in your state might allow you to pass if you are on a multilane highway or a road that has a physical divider separating traffic going in different directions. However, it is always a good idea to slow down if you see a school bus stopped as kids can be unpredictable and might not know it’s unsafe for them to cross at that spot.² 

Teen Drivers Present Another Risk During School Traffic Hours 

Learning to drive is a rite of passage and no one is good at something while they are learning it. Teen drivers are inexperienced, and they are likely to be distracted by music, their phones, and other passengers. So, during the hours when teen drivers are likely driving to and from school, it’s a good idea for other drivers to exercise caution.

Tips for Keeping Kids Safe as They Head Back to School 

Keeping kids safe this fall requires effort and diligence from both drivers and parents. Drivers must be aware of the dangers they can pose to kids during this time so they can drive safely, and parents must teach their kids safe practices that can keep injuries and fatalities from occurring.  

Tips for Drivers Near a School Zone or School Bus Route

If you’re driving near a school or known bus route, regardless of whether it’s during normal drop off and pickup hours, following these tips can keep everyone safe:

• Slow down. Vehicle speed is the most important risk factor for pedestrian injuries. Even if you’re in a hurry, slowing your speed to between 15 and 25 mph can give you enough time to react if a child darts out in front of you unexpectedly.  
• Don’t try to pass the bus. When the lights are flashing, the bus is either slowing down or stopped, and you should do the same. Buses can obscure children, so you might not see them trying to cross until it’s too late. 
• Remove all distractions when driving in drop off or pickup traffic. That means ending conversations, putting your phone away and turning down the music.  
• Give yourself enough time to get where you need to go. Rushing can create its own distraction that can lead to dangerous decision making.  

Tips for Keeping Kids Safe While Riding the Bus

School buses are highly regulated and still remain the statistically safest way for kids to get to and from school. However, the process of getting to, waiting for, and getting on and off the bus can be dangerous if certain safety practices aren’t followed. Teach kids these safety rules for riding the bus to prevent serious injuries or worse: 

• There is a “danger zone” around a school bus where the driver’s visibility is limited. This zone extends approximately 10 feet around the front, sides, and back of the bus. Teach children to stay at least 10 feet away from the bus unless it is stopped and they are actively getting on or off. 
• Children should wait for the bus at least five giant steps back from the curb. This gives the driver enough room to pull up safely and helps keep children out of the bus’s danger zone. 
• Always wait for the driver to indicate it’s safe to board the bus before they do. 
• If your child needs to cross the street before getting on the bus or after getting off the bus, teach them to look both ways and make eye contact with any drivers whose cars (including the bus driver) they need to cross in front of. Making eye contact ensures the drivers see them. 

Safety Tips for Kids Who Ride E-Bikes and Pedal Bikes 

E-bike injuries among children are rising as more teens and tweens use them to get around. E-bikes can reach speeds of up to 28 mph, making crashes potentially more serious than those involving traditional bikes. In 2025, e-bike-related injuries were the leading reason for emergency room trauma visits at Rady Children’s Hospital, the area’s only designated pediatric trauma center.³

Whether your child rides an e-bike or pedal bike:

• Require a properly fitting helmet. Children who do not wear helmets have a 40% higher risk of traumatic brain injury.⁴ 
• Teach the rules of the road, including where to ride, how to use hand signals, and how to safely cross intersections. 
• Eliminate distractions. Riders should stay off their phones and avoid headphones or music that can make it harder to hear approaching vehicles. 
• Make them visible. Encourage bright or reflective clothing, especially when riding in low-light conditions. 
• Choose safer routes with bike lanes, sidewalks, or less vehicle traffic when possible. 

For e-bikes specifically, make sure the bike is appropriate for your child’s age and abilities and that they understand how to operate it safely. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children who are too young to drive should not operate e-bikes or e-scooters.⁵ 

How to Keep Kids Safe as They Walk Home from School 

Walking to and from school is a great way for kids to get exercise and enjoy some independence. Here are some safety tips to make sure it’s a good experience: 

• Establish a safe route for your child to walk to school and require they don’t deviate from it. 
• Encourage a buddy system with siblings, neighbors, or friends so that your child isn’t walking alone. 
• Teach them to cross the street at corners and marked crosswalks, so these crossings are more expected by drivers. 
• Buy them a reflective vest to wear while walking or encourage them to wear bright or reflective clothing. 
• Disallow the use of headphones while walking so they can remain alert to their surroundings.  

Tips to Keep Your Teen Drivers, and Those They Share the Road With, Safe

When it comes to teen drivers, focus is the name of the game. You might not have as much control over the safety habits your teen engages in as you do a younger child but teaching them the importance of following these safety tips can make sure learning to drive doesn’t result in a traumatic event.  

• Make sure they are following your state’s graduated license restrictions and passenger limits. Peer passengers can be especially distracting for new drivers and cause them to make serious errors. 
• Disallow the use of phones while driving. 
• Teach them the rules for driving near a school and make sure they understand the dangers of not paying attention when vulnerable pedestrians are present. 
• Limit their nighttime driving until they’re more experienced.  

When to Contact a Personal Injury Attorney  

If you’re involved in a school bus crash, or if you or your child is involved in a pedestrian accident or a bicycle crash, you should contact a personal injury as soon as possible because these types of cases can be very complicated. Sometimes liability is determined by the same negligence principles as any other car crash or pedestrian and bicycle accident: the driver who was negligent is the one who bears responsibility for the crash.

However, there are some nuances to school bus crashes: 

• Additional penalties can be imposed for drivers that don’t yield to school buses. 
• If the bus driver was negligent or the bus malfunctioned, you might have a third party liability claim.  
• School buses are often government-owned, which means there could be different rules for liability, claim deadlines and caps on the amount of damages you can recover. 
• There could be multiple insurance companies involved. 
• Injured parties could extend to the children on board the bus. 

Keeping Kids Safe this Back-to-School Season is a Shared Responsibility  

Drivers on roads near schools and school bus routes, parents of school-age children, parents of teens, and teen drivers all share a responsibility to engage in best safety practices to ensure everyone makes it through this change in seasons unscathed. But if you or a loved one are in a school bus or school zone related crash, reach out for a free case evaluation today. Our team will listen first and if we can help, we will.