They're back! Yes, school is open and the school buses are back on McHenry County roads.

In some communities of McHenry County, the buses have already started rolling. And when the buses roll, the children are in the area. Often, children are running and playing, or running to catch a bus at the last minute. In either case, they may not pay attention to traffic the way that they should.

Hitting a child is a tragedy for everyone: the child, their parents and family, their classmates and you. This is why the law is extremely strict when it comes to driving near a school bus. Illinois Vehicle Code 625 ILCS 5/11-1414 explicitly states that a driver must stop when overtaking, from either direction, a school bus that is stopped for loading and unloading students.

The bus driver will extend the warning arm from the front-drivers side of the bus. When you see that arm out – STOP!!! You should also see flashing lights. But, even if you don’t see the warning arm extending from the side of the bus, and the lights flashing, approach with caution.

Maybe the bus driver hasn’t extended the arm yet. But a child may be running for the bus already. They may be running into the street assuming all the traffic will stop. Their mistake but yours, too, if you hit them, and that’s a mistake you won’t soon forget.

Let’s assume and hope that you never have the terrible experience of striking a child with your vehicle. Even if you don’t have that traumatic experience, the tickets you could receive while driving are not enjoyable. They’re specifically designed that way.

If you pass a school bus that is loading or unloading children, you could have your license suspended. If you’re convicted, you automatically lose your license for three months. The first conviction will also cost you $150 and court costs. A second offense is $500 and court costs. A second offense, of course, would also cost you a license suspension, too.

It’s important to remember that school buses are large. It’s difficult to see around a school bus. Not only do you want to avoid hitting children running to and from the bus, you don’t want to hit the bus either. The lesson on McHenry County streets is to drive with caution.

Once the schools have been open for a while, most of us become accustomed to school buses on the roads again, and the children in the area, too. But, right now, with schools just opening, you may need to acclimate yourself to the annual arrival of the back-to-school experience and the risks that entails.