Riding the school bus has proven to be the safest way to get our children to school each day. Therefore, it is our responsibility as parents and motorists to see to it that they are kept safe on the buses they ride.

The WV Board of Education reports that about 3,000 West Virginia school buses travel nearly 43 million miles each year, transporting about 230,000 students each day to school safely and reliably. Across the country, school buses provide more than 10 billion passenger trips each year.

A recent survey of West Virginia school transportation directors shows that on any given day, about 600 motorists illegally pass stopped school buses, putting the lives of the school children that ride these buses at risk of injury or death about 120,000 times a year.

Stiff penalties await drivers who fail to stop when a school bus stops and flashes their warning lights, including being charged with a felony if their actions result in injury or death.

Our children are our most precious resource and we must make sure their safety is our top priority.

We ask you to be extremely cautious when approaching a school bus, and especially one that is stopped, picking up and dropping off children. Obey the bus signals and warning lights.

Remember, it is not just the law, it is a real threat to the safety of our children.