Highway Patrol Urges Back-to-School Safety as Students Return to Class

As students across Missouri head back to school for the 2026-27 academic year, the Missouri State Highway Patrol is urging families and drivers to make safety part of their back-to-school routine.

The Patrol said parents should talk with children about how to get to school safely, whether they ride a bus, walk, bike or drive. Motorists, meanwhile, should prepare for heavier traffic around schools, buses, crosswalks and neighborhoods as classes resume.

In 2025, one person was killed and 284 people were injured in Missouri traffic crashes involving school buses, according to the Patrol. Statewide, 871 crashes involved school buses last year.

Students who walk to school should cross at intersections or marked crosswalks, using sidewalks whenever possible and never crossing between parked vehicles. Students should make eye contact with drivers before entering the street and should avoid running into traffic.

Students who must walk along a roadway should stay close to the left edge and step farther left when vehicles approach. Bicyclists should wear helmets, obey traffic signs and signals, ride as far to the right as safely possible, keep both hands on the handlebars except when signaling and avoid carrying passengers.

Bus riders are reminded to wait on the shoulder or sidewalk, stay in line, never try to retrieve items that fall under a bus and walk at least 10 feet in front of the bus when crossing the street. Once aboard, students should sit quietly, keep the aisle clear and follow the driver’s instructions if an incident occurs.

The Patrol also noted that many crashes involving drivers younger than 21 happen between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., around the time school typically lets out. Young drivers are being urged to treat driving as a full-time responsibility, buckle up and put their phones down. Missouri is a hands-free state.

Parents are encouraged to review safety expectations with their children before the school year begins, including how to ride the bus, walk, bike or drive safely. Families with students who bike to school should make sure helmets are worn and traffic laws are followed.

Drivers are urged to be especially alert in school zones, near playgrounds and bicycle paths, and around crosswalks and bus stops. The Patrol said drivers should allow extra travel time as school traffic patterns return.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.