Ohio lawmakers take action to address school bus safety

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Ohio lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are taking action and pushing for more safety measures on school buses.

The corner of Richards and Amsterdam is a bustling bus stop in the mornings. It’s where parents entrust their students to a bus driver to get the to school safely.

Capucine Dickerson drops her 8-year-old granddaughter off at the bus stop every day.

“I love her bus driver, but it’s so many buses out here in the morning and the afternoon,” said Dickerson. “The traffic gets crazy. We’re on Richards road. It’s very busy.”

Ohio lawmakers are addressing some of Dickerson’s concerns as Governor Mike DeWine is meeting with his newly-created Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group for the first time on Sept. 11.

“From a holistic point of view, is there anything we can do to make the rides of our school kids and our school kids safer every single day,” Dickerson asked.

On the other side of the aisle, Democratic Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown is introducing the School Bus Safety Act which would create a grant program that would help districts pay for things such as adding seat belts and emergency breaking systems.

“I like that idea, especially the seat belts, cause sometimes the kids are getting up out of the seat,” said Dickerson. “I would support any legislation that would help.”

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