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Back-to-school safety

By Sophie Vogelmann 3 min read

ESCANABA -- With many area schools back in session, the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) and local residents are urging drivers to stay alert for pedestrians, bicyclists and school buses.

In Michigan, drivers must stop at least 20 feet away from a school bus when its red lights are flashing. According to the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center, in 2024 in Michigan, 54 crashes occurred at school bus stops where the bus lights and stop-arms were activated, resulting in 26 injuries and one fatality.

"Whether children walk, ride their bicycle or take the bus to school, it is extremely important that they take proper safety precautions," the Michigan Department of Transportation said.

One Gladstone resident and business owner, Suani Nieto, addressed the Gladstone City Commission Monday night to express concerns over the safety of children crossing the streets in downtown Gladstone.

"We have a lot more pedestrians going downtown now. Monday specifically, when the market’s still going on and the school is happening, those kids are still walking and crossing the road from the school, so they’re coming from school, and the main problem I’ve seen is where Dairy Flo, the Rialto, the hair salon and the post office — those four ways, right -- they get pretty spicy in there, and I’ve seen already a couple of problems," said Nieto.

Nieto also asked the city to consider a temporary flashing “Pedestrians” sign on Mondays, as the Gladstone Farmers Market and schools create increased pedestrian traffic and school bus activity in the area.

Delta County has a history of pedestrian and school bus-related accidents. In October 2017, a 13-year-old boy was airlifted to the hospital after he was struck by a pickup truck while waiting to board a school bus in Wells Township.

According to the Delta County Sheriff's Department, on the morning of Oct. 5, 2017, an 18-year-old male driver was cresting a hill on 18th Road near K Lane when his eastbound pickup truck rear-ended a vehicle that was stopped for a Hannahville school bus.

After striking the vehicle that was stopped for the school bus, the 18-year-old driver's pickup ran off the roadway to the right and struck the student, who was then airlifted by Valley Med Flight to U.P. Health Systems in Marquette.

With the start of a new school year, drivers are reminded to:

-- Prepare to stop when a slowing bus has its overhead yellow lights flashing.

-- Stop at least 20 feet away from buses when red lights are flashing, unless driving in the opposite direction on a divided highway.

-- Slow down in or near school and residential areas.

-- Look for clues -- such as safety patrols, crossing guards, bicycles and playgrounds--that indicate children might be in the area.

-- Watch for children between parked cars and other objects.

-- Be aware of students who may be close to the roadway in the predawn hours, especially as the days become shorter.

Drivers who pass stopped school buses may be charged with civil infractions carrying a fine up to $500. Penalties are much more severe for drivers who pass a stopped school bus and cause an injury or death.

To educate motorists, the OHSP developed two school bus safety resources -- a School Buses Are Like Traffic Signals flyer and a School Buses Are Like Traffic Signals poster -- that Michigan organizations can order for free through the Traffic Safety Materials Catalog on the Michigan State Police website.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.

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