HARRISBURG, Pa. — Students from across Pennsylvania are being recognized for their efforts to promote bus safety during National Bus Safety Week.
On Wednesday, PennDOT celebrated ten winners of the 2024 School Bus Safety Poster Contest. Among the contestants was Braelyn Smith from Selinsgrove Elementary School, who was nearly hit by a car while getting off the school bus last March.
"It was really scary," said Braelyn.
“She was just getting off the bus [and] was about in the middle of the street, and all of a sudden a black, BMW came flying across the street and just a few feet from hitting her," said Nicole Smith, Braelyn's mother. "It was the scariest thing I've ever dealt with as a parent to date."
The event comes amid a police investigation in East Cocalico Township, Lancaster County after a 12-year-old child was struck by a car around 7 on Wednesday morning.
According to police, the child was hit when he was crossing the street to meet his bus along North Reamstown and Bunker Hill Road. The child was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Kara Templeton, deputy secretary for PennDOT's Driver and Vehicle Services, said incidents like this highlight the importance of protecting students going to and from school.
"Any incident that happens involving injury to a school child is one too many," said Templeton. “It’s unfortunate that it occurs, and it shouldn’t occur.”
She added that the contest allows students to help PennDOT reach people across the Commonwealth about keeping an eye for school bus stops.
“The school year goes for a long time, and we want this message to go far beyond School Bus Safety Week," said Templeton.
Braelyn hopes the awareness can keep more kids like her safe while they ride the bus.
“[It is] very important to watch out.”