National School Bus Safety Week is October 19-23
Published on October 20, 2026
This National School Bus Safety Week, the Tracy Police Department reminds drivers that when a school bus stop-arm is out and the red lights are flashing, drivers must come to a complete stop until the red lights are off and children are on or off the bus and safely out of the road.
California law generally requires drivers in both directions to stop when a school bus has flashing red lights. Following this law helps protect children who are walking to and from school and ensures every driver does their part to keep them safe.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), from 2000–2024, 63 people were killed in crashes involving a driver illegally passing a school bus with flashing red lights. Among those killed, 27 were people 18 years old or younger.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.