Deadly school bus stop crash in Indiana highlights safety issues

After three children were struck and killed at a school bus stop in Indiana, drivers are being reminded of how to share the road safely with school buses.

While it is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children, the National Safety Council reports that 70 percent of deaths related to school buses occur outside of the bus.

Additionally, more school-age pedestrians have been killed during the hour before and after school than any other time of day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The National Safety Council offers these tips for drivers to help prevent another tragedy:

• Never pass a bus from behind - or from either direction if you're on an undivided road - if it is stopped to load or unload children


• If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop


• The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus


• Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks