HENRY COUNTY, Va. – Every weekday morning for 13 years, Jay Mitchell has greeted Henry County students with a smile.
“I’ve always just enjoyed interacting with the students,” said Mitchell.
The bus driver’s two daughters went through the district and now, he says the middle schoolers on his route are like his own.
“I have students now that were on this bus that are now graduated and in college, like my daughter,” said Mitchell. “So you have that bond that lasts a lifetime.”
While rewarding, Mitchell said he feels the weight of what it means to sit behind the wheel.
He said the biggest threats he faces while driving a school bus are other drivers.
“Whether it be an accident, a student struck or they’re passing the bus, it’s just because of distractions. They’re just not paying attention,” said Mitchell.
Henry County is no stranger to the dangers on the road. A 51-year-old Martinsville man died on January 28 after crashing into a school bus. An 8-year-old boy was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries after he was hit by a car while getting off a school bus back in September.
And in November, three buses were involved in three separate crashes in the span of a week, including one caught on camera in bus dashcam video.
In the above video, you can see a pickup truck driver cross the yellow lines and collide with a school bus full of children, forcing them off the road, injuring three students and the bus driver.
Henry County Public Schools Director of Communications Monica Hatchett said it could have been much worse.
“It was a very scary day, and certainly not something we would ever want to repeat,” said Hatchett.
Since the seats on the bus are filled with precious cargo, bus drivers want to remind those on the roads that when they see a bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign, it means stop.
By Virginia state law, drivers must:
- Stop for stopped school buses with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign when approaching from any direction
- Remain stopped until everyone is clear and the bus moves again
- Stop whenever the bus is loading or unloading passengers, even if the lights and stop sign are not activated
If a school bus is on the opposite side of a median or physical barrier, motorists aren’t required to stop; however, drivers should be prepared for students exiting the school bus and crossing into their lanes.
Other districts across Central and Southwest Virginia have seen their fair share of crashes and close calls as well.
Back in October, a Bedford County elementary school bus driver – 52-year-old Kimberly Ricketts– was fired and charged with child endangerment and driving under the influence.
On January 27, two teens were injured and a Pittsylvania County bus driver was charged after state police say the bus driver didn’t stop at a red light and was hit by another car.
Then, on February 3, the driver of a passenger vehicle was killed after rear-ending a Carroll County school bus full of students.
”Buses can be replaced. Drivers and students cannot,” said Mitchell.
He said that the job comes with great responsibility that needs to be shared by every driver.
Henry County is testing out a new school bus route system that uses tablets to check in and check out students and navigate. The district said it could be a huge asset and greater ensure student safety.
Bus drivers also go through annual training.
Mitchell also encourages all families to talk with their students about school bus safety, something he does with every student on his route.