SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With the start of the new school year, state pupil transportation officials are working to make sure that school bus drivers stay focused on proper procedures.

The California Department of Education’s Office of School Transportation (OST) distributed a list of tips to aid in maintaining the safety of the state’s school bus passengers.

“These reminders should help bus driver instructors and transportation administrators put several safety-related matters on the radar screen early in the school year,” OST said in an e-mail.

1. Have drivers check their buses after each run to ascertain if sleeping children are on board. Remind drivers to walk their bus regularly.

2. Start preparing for your annual bus evacuation drills. Remember, all children who receive home-to-school transportation in grades pre-K to 8 shall participate in this exercise.

3. Drivers are prohibited from using hand-held wireless devices (e.g., cell phones) while the bus is in motion. No talking or texting while driving.

4. Share the 12-foot danger zone diagram with your staff and enlarge copies for children to read.

5. Proper loading/unloading procedures for children must be utilized at each approved school bus stop.