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CDL · Danger Zones and Mirrors

Where is the most dangerous area for students around the bus?

Correct answer

Immediately in front of and beside the bus — these areas have the largest blind spots, and most student fatalities occur in these zones

  1. A Behind the bus
  2. B Immediately in front of and beside the bus — these areas have the largest blind spots, and most student fatalities occur in these zones
  3. C Far away from the bus
  4. D Inside the bus

Why this is the answer

The most dangerous area for students is immediately in front of and immediately to the right side of the bus. The driver's seat is high above the ground and the front of the bus is several feet ahead of the windshield, creating a blind spot where a young student can be invisible to the driver. The right side near the entry door is also dangerous because the convex mirror distorts distance and a student bending down (to pick up a dropped item, for example) can disappear from view entirely. Most fatal school-bus-pedestrian incidents happen when students are in these zones — often the student's own bus.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual 10.1.3 Most Dangerous Zones

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