As a new school year begins in North Texas this week, school buses are back on the region’s roads.

Last year, there were more than 2,500 school bus crashes in Texas, resulting in 11 deaths and 63 serious injuries, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The most common causes of bus crashes were speeding, careless driving and failure to yield the right of way.

According to TxDOT, more than 740 accidents also occurred in school zones.

To ensure your own safety and the safety of others in school zones or on the street:

Plan ahead

Traffic patterns around schools may have changed since last year, so watch for updates from your child’s school about where you can go. Only drop off and pick up your children from designated areas.

“Schools frequently change these designated areas. For example, rather than parents being left on the street because they are confused or don’t know what is going on, we advise them to contact someone at the school and find out if there is indeed a new traffic pattern or new drop-off or pick-up instructions,” said Alice Shaw, spokeswoman for the Dallas division of the Texas Department of Transportation.

When children cross the street to get to the school entrance, make sure they only do so at the designated crossings. It is dangerous to dart between cars in school parking lots.

Drive slower and stay alert

This doesn’t just apply to school zones, but avoid distractions like cell phones while driving. Using a phone or other handheld device in a school zone is against the law.

Drivers should also remember that children can also be distracted and may not notice a vehicle if they are looking at their phone or wearing headphones.

“Some of them are very young children who are walking to school for the first time,” Shaw said. “Drivers need to be patient.”

Drivers in a hurry can cause accidents, so TxDOT recommends leaving earlier than usual to account for school traffic. In school zones, obey posted speed limits and heed warning signs.

Always yield to pedestrians and bicyclists in crosswalks. The Lisa Torry Smith Act of 2021 increased penalties for seriously injuring a person in a crosswalk. Whether accidental or not, the offense is now a state crime punishable by jail time.

If you share the road with a school bus, maintain a safe distance.

Yes, you must stop for buses

School buses are among the safest vehicles on the road, with a fatality rate of less than 1%, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, children are at greater risk when approaching or exiting a bus.

Some drivers may find it confusing when to stop for buses, but stopping is mandatory no matter which direction you are traveling in relation to the bus.

Flashing yellow lights mean a bus is stopping and drivers should slow down. Flashing red lights and an extended stop arm mean children are getting on or off and drivers need to stop.

“Do not pass a school bus if you see flashing red lights or an extended stop sign on a school bus, regardless of which direction you are traveling, unless the bus is in the opposite lane of a divided highway,” advises TxDOT. “Continue to move once the bus has moved, the flashing lights stop flashing, or the bus driver signals permission to pass.”

Failure to stop for a bus can result in a fine of up to $1,250 for the first offense.

Be careful of children near buses, as they may not always pay attention to the vehicles when getting off or crossing the street.

Children waiting for the bus should stand as far away from the curb as possible. Never run after a bus.

If your child walks or cycles, prepare them

It may sound obvious, but make sure your children who walk or bike to school know how to do so safely.

Like all pedestrians, children should use the sidewalk on their way to school and only cross the street at marked pedestrian crossings or intersections. Stay alert and make eye contact with drivers rather than assuming they see you.

It is important to obey all signs and instructions from school crossing guards and to avoid distractions such as cell phones while walking or cycling.

“It is the responsibility of both the students and the drivers to be alert,” Shaw said.