Aug 14, 2025 By Garrett Neese 3 min read

The children of Little Legends Daycare, many for the first time, did something that will become second nature in their lives for years to come: take a ride on a school bus.

And, they learned how to do it safely.

Just outside their day care at the East End United Community Center in Uniontown, the kids got a hands-on education from state police, and representatives from the state Department of Transportation and the Highway Safety Network.

“Since the children are going back to school, we like to just provide them some extra safety tips and go over the laws with the motoring public,” said Trooper Kalee Barnhart, public information officer for the state police.

When they get on or off the bus, Barnhart told the children, they need to make sure they look both ways before crossing the street. Inside the bus, they should avoid any commotions that could distract a bus driver, she said.

Their driver was Kurt Robinson, a driver with STA for the Albert Gallatin School District. He took the children for a drive around the block so they could experience what it was like aboard the bus. They also got to model the good behaviors they’d just learned, like grabbing the handle on the left to get up the bus, or walking far enough in front of the bus when the bar is out that the driver can see them.

“Now, they’ll have a general idea of what they do, just from this little event here, which is good for them,” he said.

It was the first time Little Legends kids had gotten to experience one of the safety events, said staff supervisor Cynthia Grooms.

“A lot of them are just now riding the bus for the first time,” she said. “Some ride the bus to school, some don’t. So they were happy to get on the bus.”

Of course, school bus safety is a two-way street.

When a bus puts out a red flashing stop sign, drivers behind it need to stop 10 feet back, Barnhart said. The stop sign applies in both directions, even on multi-lane roads, unless there’s a clearly marked physical barrier separating opposing lanes of traffic.

If the flashing lights are yellow, they should slow down and prepare to come to a stop.

“If you do see a school bus, make sure all those children are loaded on before you proceed, even if the stop sign is closed,” Barnhart said.

Failing to stop for a bus carries serious penalties, Barnhart said: a $200 fine, five points on your driving record and a 60-day license suspension.

“We just urge all drivers to slow down, pay attention and obey the law,” she said. “A single moment of distraction can change a life forever.”