Be cautious of school buses and children

Traveling into work this morning, there is a noticeable difference in the scenery. It’s the first day of school for children in the Camas and Washougal school districts — those big yellow buses are everywhere and children are once again bicycling and walking to school. As we’ve all become used to our summer driving routines, the influx of pedestrian and school bus traffic can have an unexpected impact on local traffic flow and speed. It’s a change we all need to be aware of and take seriously.

The stories of accidents involving children that occur when people aren’t paying close attention are plentiful. As a elementary school child, I was a passenger on a school bus that was struck by a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. More than 30 years later, I still clearly remember the feeling of fear and confusion, the sight of vehicle parts strewn across the street, and the smell of gasoline and metal that were all part of this strange scene. In my case, no children were seriously injured. But it certainly could have gone differently.