CALIFORNIA EDUCATION CODE 39831.3

The County Superintendent of Schools, the Superintendent of a school district, or the owner or operator of a private school that provides transportation to or from a school or school activity shall prepare a transportation safety plan containing procedures for school personnel to follow to ensure the safe transportation of pupils.

The plan shall be revised as required. The plan shall address all of the following:

• Determining if pupils require escort pursuant to the vehicle code.
• Procedures for all pupils in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 through 8, inclusive, to follow as they board and exit the appropriate school bus at each pupil’s school bus stop.

Boarding and exiting a school bus at a school or other trip destination.

A current copy of a plan shall be retained by each school subject to the plan and made available upon request to an officer of the Department of the California Highway Patrol.

The California Vehicle Code defines a School Bus Accident as:

A motor vehicle accident resulting in a property damage in excess of seven hundred and fifty dollars ($750.00) or personal injury, on public or private property, and involving a school bus, youth bus, school pupil activity bus, or general public sit vehicle with a pupil on board; a collision between a vehicle and any pupil or the bus driver while the pupil or driver is crossing the highway when the school bus flashing red signal (crossover) lamps are required to be operated pursuant to Section 22112 VC; or when the school bus is stopped for the purpose of loading or unloading students. (3) Injury of a pupil inside the bus as a result of acceleration, deceleration, or other movement of the bus.

All school bus accidents shall be investigated by the California Highway Patrol  

• The driver shall notify dispatch of their location and inform them that they are involved in a school bus accident.
• Dispatch will contact the California Highway Patrol.  If any passengers are injured, emergency medical services will be dispatched.
• In the event of a school bus accident the school site Principal, Superintendent’s office, Executive Director of Administrative Services and First Student will be notified
• Pupils can be released only by the CHP officer.