School buses can prove as a deterrent – especially when a motorist is in a hurry.

The large yellow vehicles stop every 15 feet it seems, they drive slower than we would hope and it feels like it takes forever for the students to get on or off.

When you’re running late for a meeting or to pick up your child from wherever they are, it seems as if you will never get there and that you’ll never be able to get around that bus.

Sometimes it is far too easy to forget the precious cargo that is aboard those monstrous buses – our school-age children.

Though it is sometimes painful to be running behind and have to operate your vehicle safely around a school bus, remember the dire consequences should you not pay attention to what you’re doing and someone gets hurt.

We have had several school bus accidents in recent years and thankfully none of them have resulted in death for any of our children. That doesn’t mean it can’t happen though. That’s why it is important to be safe, be patient and remember what is at stake. If you’re five minutes late for wherever it is you have to be, it likely won’t mean life or death. Speeding around a stopped school bus could. Children are entering and exiting those buses. They need to be able to do so safely.

It is against the law to pass a stopped school bus if the stop arm is engaged. It is also unsafe, unwise and potentially a disaster waiting to happen. Obey the law and keep our children safe. It’s certainly worth being a few minutes late for work or a few minutes behind schedule getting home.