CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The start of classes is right around the corner for most schools and with more cars and school buses expected on the road, DPS troopers are urging drivers to stay alert and safe.
Lidia Williams has been a CCISD bus driver for over 13 years. She said the best part of her job is being able to connect with her kids every day.
But along with this job can come frustrations, Williams said last year the road safety concerns have gotten worse.
“If one of these kids gets hurt, we as bus drivers we have to live with that, even though it wasn’t our fault,“ Williams said.
DPS troopers are urging drivers to stay alert and safe on the roads.
Rob Mallory, the Safety Education Sargent for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said in the last five years, there has been 139 school bus crashes in Nueces County.
All vehicles traveling in both directions must stop when the flashing red lights and stop arms come out.
Mallory said the majority of these were caused by failure to control speed and distracted drivers.
“When we start seeing these buses on the road, we need to think to ourselves where are the kids at that is the question that our drivers should be asking themselves," she said. "I see a bus and I should be watching for the lights to come on because kids are going to be getting on and off that bus as they are getting to and from school."
Mallory also wanted to highlight that it’s not just the drivers that need to be alert, but the kids as well.
“We are encouraging the parents to take to your students about the importance of wearing your seat belt on the bus," Mallory said. "It is not only there for their safety, but but it could also affect the drivers record if they are involved in a crash and they weren’t wearing their seat belt.”
Mallory said for this upcoming school year they will have additional officers on the roads watching the bus routes and looking out for those who violate the law.
“I don’t want to wait until someone gets hit before the public says, oh we have to watch out on the school bus, you can’t miss it, it is bright yellow,” Williams said.
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