School’s back in, and Houston streets get more dangerous overnight. Kids dart between parked cars. Buses stop every block. Drop-off lines back up while everyone’s running late and staring at their phones. One distracted second in a school zone can change a child’s life. Slow down — it’s the whole point.
Here’s how to drive safely around schools and buses this month, and exactly what to do if your child gets hurt in a crash.
School zones: slow down and put the phone away
Reduced speed limits in Texas school zones exist for one reason — kids are unpredictable and small, and a few miles per hour decides whether a child walks away. Texas also bans using a handheld phone in an active school zone. So put it down. No text is worth it.
Watch the crosswalks, watch the curbs, and assume a kid could step out at any moment. In a school zone, they will.
The bus rules people get wrong
Buses cause the most confusion, and getting it wrong is both dangerous and illegal.
When you must stop
When a school bus flashes its red lights and swings out that stop arm, you stop. On most roads that’s true for traffic in both directions. The only time you keep rolling is when a physical median or barrier separates you from the bus. When in doubt, stop and wait until the lights go off.
The danger zone is around the bus
Most kids hurt near buses aren’t hit by the bus — they’re hit by drivers going around it. Kids cross in front where the driver can’t see them. Give them room and give them time.
Drop-off and pickup: where the fender-benders live
The carpool line is chaos. Cars stopping short, kids weaving through, parents pulling U-turns. Keep your speed near zero, expect the car ahead to brake without warning, and never wave a child across when you can’t see the lane next to you. If a crash does happen, the same rules apply as any wreck — get the details and start with what to do after a car accident in Houston.
If your child is hurt in a crash
Nothing hits harder than your kid getting hurt. Take a breath and work the steps, because what you do next protects both their recovery and their claim.
Get medical care right away
Even if the injury looks minor, get them checked. Children don’t always show symptoms immediately, and a doctor’s record is the clearest proof of what the crash did. Don’t wait and hope it passes.
Make sure there’s a crash report
Call the police and make sure they create a CR-3 crash report. That report is the backbone of any claim later. Get the other driver’s insurance, snap photos, and keep every bill and record in one place — these are the documents that hold a claim together.
Watch the fault question
Texas is an at-fault state, so the driver who caused the crash pays. But under the state’s 51% modified comparative negligence rule, blame that gets shifted onto you cuts what your family can recover — and past 50%, it wipes it out. Don’t guess about fault, and don’t apologize your way into their argument.
Don’t sit on the deadline
Texas generally gives you two years from the date of the crash to file suit under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003. Claims for injured kids can follow different timing rules, so don’t assume the two years is the whole story — and don’t wait to find out. For the wider view of school-zone safety, the Texas Department of Transportation publishes back-to-school driving guidance every fall.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to stop for a school bus in Texas?
Yes. You must stop when a school bus shows its flashing red lights and extended stop arm, and stay stopped until they turn off. On most roads that applies to both directions; you only keep moving if a physical median or barrier separates you from the bus.
What should I do first if my child is hurt in a crash?
Get medical care right away, even if the injury looks minor, because kids don’t always show symptoms at once and a doctor’s record protects their health and any claim. Then make sure the police create a CR-3 crash report and hold on to every document.
How long do we have to file a claim if my child was injured?
Texas generally gives two years from the date of the crash to file suit under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003. Claims involving injured children can follow different timing rules, so don’t assume and don’t wait to sort out the deadline that applies.
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