Back-to-School Means More Traffic – It Doesn’t Have to Mean More Risk

As students return to school, traffic increases around school zones, neighborhoods, and bus stops. For parents and caregivers, that means more than adjusting to new schedules and routines – it means trusting that children can get to and from school safely. Yet many parents are seeing dangerous driving behaviors in the very places designed to protect students.

Parents Are Seeing the Risk

School zones and school bus stops remain areas of concern for families across the country.

According to a recent survey, more than half of parents and caregivers have witnessed speeding in a school zone, while nearly half have seen distracted driving near students. Forty-three percent report witnessing a near miss in a school zone.

The concern extends beyond the school campus. Thirty-seven percent of parents and caregivers have seen a driver illegally pass a stopped school bus, and one-third have witnessed a near-miss near a stopped bus.

As a result, 63% of parents and caregivers identify reckless drivers as one of their top concerns during the school year.

The Problem Is Larger Than Many Realize

School buses remain one of the safest ways for children to travel, but unsafe driving behaviors continue to put students at risk during pick-up and drop-off. School zones also present significant challenges, as speeding and distracted driving create dangers for students walking, biking, or being dropped off at school.

The scale of the problem is substantial. Across Verra Mobility’s school safety programs, more than 6 million school zone speed violations have been processed across 56 programs nationwide. At the same time, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services estimates there were more than 39 million illegal school bus passings nationwide during the last school year alone.

For families, these numbers reinforce what many already see every day: dangerous driving around schools and school buses is not an isolated issue.

The Data Shows Change Is Possible

While the risks are real, communities across the country are demonstrating that they can be reduced.

In Florida, school zone safety programs contributed to a 97% reduction in speeding during the citation phase and a 93% reduction during the warning phase. Program areas also reported an approximate 90% reduction in crashes.

Atlanta experienced a 50% reduction in school zone speeding within the first month of implementation, a 75% reduction within four months, and an 87% reduction since launch. The city’s school bus stop-arm safety program also achieved a 64% reduction in violations.

Across Verra Mobility’s school safety programs, the results tell a similar story. Eighty-seven percent of school zone violators do not repeat the behavior, while 98% of drivers cited for illegally passing a stopped school bus do not commit another violation. School bus stop-arm programs also experienced an average 67% decline in citations from the beginning to the end of the 2024-2025 school year, demonstrating that driver behavior improves over time.

Parents Are Calling for Action

Families are not only concerned about safety, they are also supportive of measures designed to improve it.

Forty-five percent of parents and caregivers want stricter enforcement of traffic laws around schools. Seventy percent support school zone speed enforcement cameras, and 82% support school bus stop-arm enforcement.

Despite that support, one in five parents says their child’s school still does not have enough safety measures in place.

A Shared Responsibility

Every child deserves a safe trip to and from school. The data shows that dangerous driving behaviors remain a significant concern during the school year, but it also demonstrates that communities can make meaningful progress when they prioritize safety.

As students head back to the classroom, creating safer school zones and safer bus stops remains a responsibility shared by drivers, families, schools, and communities.

Back-to-school should be a time of excitement and opportunity. By staying alert, slowing down, and prioritizing safety around schools and school buses, communities can help ensure students arrive safely every day.