The new school year is here, and with that comes the familiar routine of seeing your kids off to school just as thousands of others across the country are doing. But whether your children are getting to and from school by bus, by car, or by other means of transportation, safety is a major concern. There are laws to help protect students, like the Florida one requiring all traffic to stop for school buses, but bus accidents unfortunately still happen, and because they involve vehicles, they can be deadly.
The Risk Is Real: Recent Accidents and Safety Risks in Jacksonville
In August of 2025 alone, there have been at least two accidents involving students on their way to or from school that have made headlines. On August 11, a hit-and-run driver in Duval County struck a school bus returning home after the first day of school. Fortunately, the students in this school bus crash weren’t seriously injured. Others weren’t so lucky. Two middle school students were hit in a pedestrian accident, and one was tragically killed during the first week of school. There have been other school bus accidents that, while fortunately didn’t injure anyone, do highlight the risk students face commuting to and from school.
On top of that, there are parents concerned about their children’s bus stop location changing so that the kindergarteners and elementary school students must now cross six lanes of traffic with no crosswalks or stoplights. Worried about preventable accidents occurring, the affected parents have to make a choice between risking their children’s safety crossing such a major road or finding another way for them to get to school.
Sharing the Road Safely: Tips for Drivers
Whether you’re a parent or not, every single person on the road shares in the responsibility of keeping children safe as they get to and from school. While traffic laws regarding student safety may differ from state to state, the core goal remains the same: for drivers to stay alert and slow down or stop when necessary. In Florida, for example:
- Cars traveling in both directions must stop for school buses that have flashing lights and the stop arm extended.
- Drivers must obey lower school zone speed limits.
- Drivers must avoid distractions like texting, driving impaired, or other reckless or dangerous driving habits.
These laws aren’t suggestions. Breaking them can not only endanger yourself but also children just trying to get to and from school. A momentary distraction or impatience while waiting for a school bus to start moving again could make the difference in keeping children safe and protecting you from legal consequences.
Safety First: School Safety Campaigns in Jacksonville
To help protect students, the city of Jacksonville has launched an initiative called Be Safe & Be Seen. Although the campaign is from January 2025, the pedestrian and bicycle safety initiative still has applicable PSA videos that teach students essential safety information that can help them stay safe when they’re walking or riding a bike to and from school.
Additionally, the city of Jacksonville is supporting a Safe Routes to School program that aims to remove infrastructure barriers that would prevent students from more easily getting to school on foot, by wheelchair, or by bicycle. The idea is to make alternative forms of transportation safer and easier for students who live closer to schools to ease traffic congestion from parents driving their children to school.
Farah & Farah’s Commitment to Safety
Farah & Farah has always been active in supporting our local communities. Our Jacksonville office is no exception. Some of our community involvement initiatives include providing helmets to children so they can safely ride a bike and collaborating with local YMCAs to teach kids about water safety. Along the same lines, we’re trying to partner with Duval County and local law enforcement agencies to help create awareness about the dangers students face on the way to and from school, whether they’re on a school bus, in a car, walking, or riding a bike. All of our children deserve safety, and it’s up to us to make that happen.
What if the Unthinkable Happens?
No matter how prepared you are to protect your children on their way to and from school, accidents can still happen. Despite laws requiring drivers to slow down and stop for school buses and school zones, sometimes people are distracted, negligent, or careless. If the unthinkable happens and your child is involved in a school bus accident, don’t wait to call us.
We’re here to listen, support you, fight for justice on your behalf, and help make your lives as whole again as possible. If you need our help, you won’t owe a thing unless your case is successful. Contact us now for a free consultation with our experienced school bus accident lawyers. We’re on your side and are here for you.
