Minnesota Opinion: School bells again ringing; drive with care

With Labor Day this weekend, we're just days away from the return of yellow buses and of kids seemingly everywhere: on foot, on bikes and scooters, and sometimes darting out from between parked cars — especially during the already-busy early-morning and late-afternoon commute times. With many Minnesota's schools reopening Tuesday, here is what, unfortunately, can be an annual — if not more frequent — reminder to be extra vigilant about safety while driving, to remain hyper alert of kids unpredictably anywhere, and to be prepared for anything while behind the wheel. Tragedy is one distraction away. It can happen at any moment. "It's never more important for drivers to slow down and pay attention than when kids are present — especially before and after school," the National Safety Council has posted at its website, nsc.org. If you're dropping children off at school, be sure to know the procedures. More children are hit by cars near schools than anywhere else, according to the National Safe Routes to School program. Also, motorists, slow down. And don't double park at schools; it blocks children's and others' visibility, the National Safety Council reminds. Don't load or unload children across the street from school, either, so they have to run across, which introduces undue danger. Consider carpooling to reduce the number of vehicles at schools. Don't block crosswalks, forcing schoolkids and other pedestrians to unsafely have to go around you. In addition, stop for the school patrol — always. Be especially watchful in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in residential areas. Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians. And never ever pass a bus stopped to load or unload children, with its stop arm extended or with yellow or red lights flashing. Remember, children can be unpredictable and tend to ignore hazards and take risks. Stop far enough back from buses to allow children space to safely enter and exit. State law requires at least 20 feet between your vehicle and a school bus with its lights flashing or with its stop arm out. That's whether you're following the bus or coming from the opposite direction on an undivided road. Many of us have seen the dashcam videos shot by and posted by school bus drivers of cars flying past and kids nearly being struck. They're incomprehensibly horrifying. Just as horrifying, in the U.S., 110 children and adults were killed in school bus-related crashes in 2024 alone, according to the National Safety Council . And in Minnesota, more than 2,000 citations were written annually in 2024 and 2025 for illegally passing a school bus, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. And those were 'just a fraction of what's actually happening,' as Minnesota State Patrol Lt. Brian Reu said this spring at a press conference attended virtually by the News Tribune Opinion page. 'The behavior is happening too often.' Each year, Minnesota school bus drivers participate in a one-day survey, and last year 3,500 drivers reported 514 illegal-pass violations. Fines are $500. From 2015 to 2019, they tallied a shocking average of more than 600 violations on those single days, with violations increasing 53% over the five years. To help nab offenders, the state of Minnesota invested $14.7 million to install cameras on school bus stop arms statewide. Still, far too few motorists are caught and held responsible for being so impatient or so unaware that they could actually kill a kid. 'It's not just about the citation,' Reu said. 'It's about keeping the student safe (and) preventing tragedy before it happens. Once something goes wrong at the school bus stop, you can't take it back. So, slow down (and) pay attention. … Drive like your own kids are on the bus; and when the red lights come on, stop every time.' Of course, staying safe is as much on the kids as it is the responsibility of motorists and other adults. Students can always be wary of vehicles and can always look left-right-left before crossing a street. As ingrained as that may be, it's a practice ignored with amazing frequency and with sometimes-heartbreaking results. Also, children, never accept a ride from someone unknown. Get to your bus stop early and stand a safe distance from the curb. Board the bus only after it has come to a complete stop and the driver directs you. Only board your own bus. Always stay in clear view of the driver. Never walk behind the bus. Cross streets at corners, obeying traffic signals and staying in the crosswalk. Never dart out from between parked cars. Any student who rides a bike to school can remember to always wear a helmet and to ride in the same direction as traffic. And that left-right-left? That applies to bicyclists, too. So do all traffic laws. "Put safety at the top of the list," says the American Red Cross. That may seem pretty common sense — and it is. But it's also an important, potentially life-saving reminder that bears repeating, especially at back-to-school time. This Minnesota Opinion editorial is the viewpoint of the Duluth News Tribune Editorial Board. Send feedback to: opinion@wctrib.com.