Missouri State Highway Patrol Urges Back-to-School Safety

/

As the 2025-2026 school year begins, the Missouri State Highway Patrol is reminding parents, students, and motorists to make safety a top priority. Increased traffic, school buses on the roads, and students walking or biking to school mean drivers should be extra cautious.

In 2024, Missouri saw 843 traffic crashes involving school buses, resulting in seven fatalities and 345 injuries. Troopers hope to prevent future tragedies by encouraging safe habits for everyone on the road.

Safety Tips for Students

  • Walking: Use sidewalks when available, cross at marked intersections, and make eye contact with drivers before stepping into the street. Avoid distractions like phones or music.

  • Biking: Always wear a helmet, ride on the right side, follow traffic signals, and keep both hands on the handlebars.

  • School Buses: Wait on the shoulder or sidewalk, use handrails, never retrieve dropped items from under the bus, and cross at least 10 feet in front of it.

For Young Drivers
Most crashes involving drivers under 21 happen between 3 and 4 p.m., when school lets out. Parents should remind teens that driving requires full attention—no texting, phone use, or other distractions. Missouri is a hands-free state, so buckle up and put the phone away.

Parents’ Role
Parents are encouraged to discuss safe travel—whether walking, biking, or driving—with their children. They should also introduce the Courage2ReportMO program, which allows students to anonymously report safety concerns, including bullying, threats, weapons, and mental health crises. Reports can be made via the mobile app, website, phone (866-748-7047), or by texting “C2R” to 738477. The program operates 24/7 with trained professionals.

Tips for Motorists
Drivers should be especially alert near school zones, playgrounds, and crosswalks, and anticipate heavier traffic during morning and afternoon commutes. Missouri law requires vehicles on two-lane roads to stop in both directions when a school bus is loading or unloading children with warning signals activated. On four-lane roads, drivers must stop only when following the bus.

Troopers stress that children can be unpredictable near traffic. Patience, attentiveness, and extra travel time can help ensure a safe start to the school year for everyone.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story