Local schools are beginning a new academic year this week, and Lauderdale County Sheriff Ward Calhoun is urging drivers to use caution as school buses and children will once again be out on the roads.

“With school starting back in the county and in the city and also our private school, of course city and county schools have school buses,” he said. “So we encourage drivers to make sure they’re paying attention not just for school buses stopping but making sure they’re not going around a stopped school bus.”

Most school buses are equipped with yellow flashing lights and an extendable arm that will swing out indicating a stop, Calhoun said. Drivers approaching the bus from both directions are supposed to stop for the bus, he said.

“Whether you see the bus in front of you and you’re approaching the bus as it’s stopping, or if you’re behind it, you should never pass a stopped school bus,” he said.

Sadly, Calhoun said, there have been instances in the United States, and in Mississippi, where drivers have ignored the rules, and children have been hurt or killed as a result.

Residents are especially encouraged to use caution over the next several weeks as communities adjust to the additional traffic, Calhoun said. Drivers may want to give themselves a little bit more time on their morning commutes to account for busses and other delays, he said.

“Children don’t always pay attention to what they’re doing, so drive safely early in the morning and in the afternoon as these kids get back into school,” he said.

While drivers are one part of the equation, students also need to practice safety, and parents are encouraged to talk with their children about staying safe while waiting for the school bus, Calhoun said.