Whether you’re young or old, summer sure seems to fly by faster and faster every year. By mid-August, Maryland parents and kids are scrambling to squeeze in as much remaining summer fun as they can, while getting ready for the 2025-2026 school year about to begin.
Back to school is a good time to review the Maryland traffic laws designed to keep our school children safe and avoid pedestrian and motor vehicle accidents. Let’s start with the army of school buses about to descend on our streets.
Summer has once again gone by too fast, and — to the chagrin of Maryland’s school-aged children — school is back in session.
For Maryland kids and parents, back to school means adjusting to new schedules, getting used to new teachers, reconnecting with classmates, and growing up just a little bit more. For Maryland motorists, it also means being aware of school buses back on the road and children walking to and from school, moving quickly on and off the sidewalks.
Unfortunately, in the U.S., school transportation-related traffic accidents account for an average 111 deaths a year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Young pedestrians are particularly vulnerable: Between 2012 and 2021, more than half (53 percent) of school-aged pedestrians killed in school transportation-related crashes were between 5 and 10 years old.
Maryland school zones and school buses have a specific set of traffic regulations to ensure school children get to and from school safely. Let’s take a look at some current Maryland traffic laws designed to protect school children on and off the school bus and in and around school zones.
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