SEPTEMBER 17, 2025 — With the school year underway, the Directorate of Emergency Services is once again emphasizing bus stop safety.
“Drivers should not only pay attention for bus stops but also children crossing the street when [buses] are stopped,” said Staff Sgt. Morgan Eddinger, Fort Lee traffic investigations noncommissioned officer-in-charge.
Drivers should slow down and be alert while driving through a neighborhood, school zone or bus stop. Make sure to obey the rules when approaching a school bus on base streets and residential areas.
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 the bus or parents waiting nearby to pick up children.
Red flashing lights mean stop and wait at least 20 feet behind the bus because children are getting on or off. Stay stopped until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn and the bus begins moving.
Drivers should also be mindful of the consequences of a citation involving a school bus.
“All tickets involving a school bus are automatically a reckless driving ticket, a mandatory court appearance, and, depending on the severity of the incident, can result in a suspension of driving privileges,” Eddinger said.
DES is helping school children stay safe by showing a strong police presence in housing during bus times, Eddinger said.
All seven housing communities are areas of primary concern for DES, as every housing community has multiple stops, he said.
“Parents should ensure children are being mindful of the roadway and looking both ways if crossing the streets in case there are drivers that disregard a stopped bus,” Eddinger said.
Child safety near buses starts with people being mindful when buses are stopping and children/parents watching the roadway when a bus is stopped, he said.
For children waiting for and boarding school buses, recommendations include:
- Stay five steps away from the curb.
- Always wait until the bus comes to a complete stop and the bus driver signals to board.
- Face forward after finding a seat on the bus.
- Exit the bus after it stops and look left-right-left for cars before crossing a street.
Drivers can expect to see school buses on the installation during the following time ranges:
- Elementary school buses—7:30 a.m. to 8:10 a.m. and 3:35 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Middle and High school buses—6:05 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Story by Chad Menegay
U.S. Army Fort Lee