Ohio troopers remind reckless drivers about National School Bus Safety Week

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Sargeant Ray Santiago, from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, is making sure drivers take National School Bus Safety Week seriously.

He has a son himself and knows what parents go through when they send their kids to school.

“One selfish unsafe act can really change someone’s life,” Santiago said.

Drivers approaching a stopped school bus from either direction are required to be at least 10 feet away from the bus.

Since 2016, there have been more than 6,000 crashes involving school buses in Ohio.

“So you know when you see a stopped school bus, it’s more than just an obstacle or something that’s delaying your commute. Those are students, those are lives that are very important,” Santiago said.

Brian Tiffe is a mechanic working supervisor at Parma City School. He double checks the buses daily to make sure children have what they need.

“Basically, we do our everyday routine where we make sure all the lights, the stop arms, all the safety equipment is on the school buses at all times, making sure it’s all working and people use everything properly,” Tiffe said.

Sgt. Santiago wants people to look beyond the statistics and to understand that these are not just numbers, but young lives.

“Beyond just raising awareness during one week, it’s about really encouraging folks to raise awareness throughout the year,” he said.

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