State Police inspect school buses

WETHERSFIELD, Conn. (WTNH) -- Buses were getting a once over in Whethersfield today. The show and tell during this National School Bus Safety week details what authorities look for to make sure your children are safe on the road as they head to and from school.

State police check gas caps, check the tires, pressure and treads and bolts, and the instrument panel is looked at too.

"At this stage we'd be going inside of the bus and checkinbg everything in the dash to make sure the low air warning light works, the signals and the lights work, everything in the gauges work. We check the brakes, we check all the seats, the windows, we check the seatbelts if it's equipped," Sgt. Ron Barnard of the CT State Police said.

The inspection is good for a year and there is a sticker on the bus that gives it the all clear.

State police have inspectors out on the road following school buses to make sure safety procedures are being met.

"We're here really to emphasize with the kids that you see the driver, the driver sees me, make sure when they get on and off that bus, they make eye contact, they keep eye contact as they cross the street, they go around the front of the bus, never to the back of the bus, and at the same time to remind the public to be careful around school buses," Melody Currey, the DMV Commissioner, said.

And while we're on the subject, never pass a school bus when it's stopped. That may seem like common sense, but tickets are being written all of the time for this violation.