08/24/2026
Ohio Traffic Safety Office Reminds Drivers: Back-to-School Means School Bus Safety and Buckling Up
COLUMBUS — With students across Ohio returning to classrooms, the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO), a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, is urging all drivers to make safety their top priority during back-to-school season. OTSO is highlighting two statewide education efforts: the Stop Means Stop school bus safety campaign and Buckle Up with Brutus, Ohio’s child passenger safety program for elementary-aged students.
Stop Means Stop: Reminding Drivers of Ohio's School Bus Stop Law
OTSO’s Stop Means Stop campaign reinforces one of Ohio’s most critical traffic safety laws; drivers must stop for school buses when they are picking up or dropping off students. This public awareness initiative was launched in 2024, following a recommendation from Governor Mike DeWine’s School Bus Safety Working Group. Under this initiative, OTSO provides schools, law enforcement agencies, and community partners with posters, fact sheets, rack cards, social media materials, and an educational video to help strengthen safety messaging statewide.
Data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol shows the need for continued awareness:
• In 2025, the Highway Patrol issued 879 citations to drivers for illegally passing a stopped school bus – a 6% decline from 2024.
• There have been 6,414 traffic crashes involving school buses on Ohio’s roadways since 2021, six of which were fatal. Those six fatal crashes resulted in the deaths of six individuals, with one being a school-aged student.
• In 2025, there were 17 fatal and serious-injury crashes involving a school bus – up from 14 the year before.
• 85% of fatal and serious-injury crashes involving school buses are caused by other drivers.
As buses return to neighborhoods, OTSO reminds all drivers to:
• Slow down in school zones.
• Never drive distracted and watch for children approaching or leaving bus stops.
• Stop Means Stop when a school bus activates its red lights and stop arm. This applies to all vehicles traveling in both directions on two-lane roads and roads with a center turning lane.
Educational resources and the full Stop Means Stop campaign toolkit for communities are available on OTSO’s website here: School Bus Safety | Ohio Traffic Safety Office
Buckle Up with Brutus: Protecting Ohio's Youngest Passengers
OTSO is also promoting its Buckle Up with Brutus program, a statewide child passenger safety initiative designed for second-and-third-grade students and their families. The program teaches the importance of wearing seat belts, using booster seats, and ensuring children ride in the correct seats for their age and size.
Developed in partnership with Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and The Ohio State University, Buckle Up with Brutus launched statewide during the 2024-2025 school year. Child passenger safety remains critical:
• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 46% of child safety seats are misused, often due to the wrong seat type or improper installation.
• 67% percent of child passengers (under age 13) killed in Ohio in 2025 were unrestrained.
• 8 children were killed and 53 others were seriously injured in Ohio last year due to not being properly restrained.
Families can find child passenger safety guidance, including seat-type recommendations and installation tips at http://www.Buckleup.ohio.gov.
Buckle Up with Brutus uses fun, age-appropriate lessons, interactive activities, and the popular “Brutus’ Seat Belt Boogie” music video to teach children lifelong seat belt habits. The program helps kids understand when they need a booster seat, why everyone under age 13 should ride in the back seat, and how buckling up protects them in a crash – all while engaging families by sending safety messages home. This initiative has already reached more than 11,500 students across 118 schools and 47 counties, with OTSO providing free curriculum materials and reimbursement to presenters to support local traffic safety education.
As a division within the Ohio Department of Public Safety, the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) is dedicated to saving lives and preventing injuries on Ohio’s roads by using creative leadership, innovative education and comprehensive enforcement programs. OTSO strives to work in partnership with local, state and federal entities to advance equity in highway safety programs, ensuring they benefit all road users in Ohio. For FFY2026, OTSO awarded over $23 million in federal funds to 195 Ohio agencies for statewide programming to improve traffic safety and reduce traffic-related fatalities. Learn more about OTSO’s initiatives at https://otso.ohio.gov
