Gain publicity and spread awareness about your operation using special events in conjunction with a school bus safety day. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) encourages districts, parents and students to engage in activities to celebrate such a day. Here are some of NHTSA’s recommendations: 1. Have local law enforcement agencies conduct special patrols to increase compliance with state laws outlawing stop-arm running. 2. Work with the PTA to get parents to walk their children to the bus stop in the morning. Have parents discuss the routes kids take to the bus stop, where they stand at the stop and how they should behave while waiting. 3. Conduct a school assembly to discuss school bus behavior. Use role-playing to illustrate safety concerns. 4. Get teachers to discuss handrail safety and check every school bus for defective handrails. Hold the discussions on a bus. 5. Stage a school bus emergency evacuation drill. Involve police, emergency medical personnel and any other potential rescue agencies. 6. Consider a theme such as school bus driver appreciation day. Another idea is “switch roles day,” where drivers and students engage in role-playing exercises where the driver plays the student and vice versa. 7. Have students map out routes they take to get to the bus stop. Go over the maps and discuss potential hazards. 8. Produce your own TV or radio news segment on school bus safety using students as the reporters.