Students and motorists should be mindful of the potentially devastating results of getting within the 12-foot area around the outside of a school bus.

That sentiment motivated the American School Bus Council (ASBC) to choose “Be Safe, Know the Danger Zone” as its 2021 National School Bus Safety Week theme.

“National School Bus Safety Week is a unique opportunity for school transportation professionals to educate others about school bus safety,” said Mike Martin, executive director of the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT). “This year’s theme reminds students, pedestrians, and motorists why it’s important to be particularly mindful of the danger zone around every school bus.”

The annual observance, scheduled this year for Oct. 18-22, was started in 1960 by Richard E. Fischer, a California transportation director. Themes rotate each year.

“With students back in the classroom again, we value the school bus with renewed perspective,” said Ronna Weber, executive director of the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS). “That’s why it’s important to celebrate safety week in your school bus community.”

The ASBC sees this observance as “an opportunity to recognize the importance of our highly-trained drivers and celebrate the impact of the yellow school bus on education and safety,” according to an official statement from the organization.