A project is underway to improve safety for the 1.6 million students who ride a bus to schools in Ohio.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and Ohio Department of Education have partnered to create new highly reflective “STOP” decals for the rear of every school bus in the state.

In the coming months, each of the state’s nearly 20,000 school buses will be outfitted with the new decals which make buses more visible in both daylight and at nighttime. The decals are being printed by ODOT’s Sign Shop and will be provided to the schools at no cost.

Since 2017, there have been 6,519 school bus-related crashes. Of these crashes, 1,421 involved a driver following too close and 712 involved a driver failing to yield.

Troopers in the Patrol’s Licensing and Commercial Standard Unit saw a need for increased visibility.  During their research, troopers found no other state offering such a safety mechanism.

Nine school districts in Ohio piloted the decals on their buses and completed a survey to report their results.

Of the eight districts who responded to the survey, all believed the new reflective signs were more effective than the standard, non-reflective STOP decal currently displayed on the rear of school buses.

All the districts also indicated the reflective STOP decal would improve school bus safety in dusk/dawn lighting conditions and in rain.