Last week in Hailey, I failed to stop quickly enough in front of a school bus dropping off a Wood River High School student. By the time I had come to a complete halt, my car blocked the path by which the student was supposed to cross the road. Thankfully, my mistake did not lead to the student's injury, but at another time, it might have.
First of all, I would like to apologize to the student and bus driver for my mistake. My violation of the law endangered the student's life and is something I will regret for a long time. Fortunately I have learned something from this experience; driving is a privilege and acting responsibly behind the wheel is of the utmost importance. While I cannot undo what has happened, I can use my experience to expose the dangers of unsafe driving around school buses. It is my wish to explain the danger of "fly-bys" and help prevent future incidents from occurring.
The potential for a "fly-by," when a motorist fails to stop while students enter and exit the bus, is serious. Our valley's bus drivers worry about situations like this every single day. Around the valley, bus drivers often report two to three fly-bys per day.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 23 students are killed each year getting on or off school buses. These needless deaths are an unacceptable result of careless driving.
The school year is in full swing. When you drive up and down the valley, pay attention to the school buses and their passengers. Please don't make the same mistake I did. When the lights come on and the stop sign pops out, make the right decision and stop for our students!
Jack Reidy
Ketchum
