PR Newswire·Aug 13, 2026, 9:06 AM ET

Back to School Means Back to Traffic: Mercury Insurance Urges Drivers to Reset Their Commute

NHTSA data shows 1,069 fatalities in school-transportation-related crashes between 2015 & 2024, averaging over 100 deaths annually.
Of the total fatalities, 204 were school-age children, with 77 being pedestrians & 7 bicyclists.
Seventy percent of those killed were occupants of vehicles other than school buses, while only 11% were in school transportation vehicles.
NHTSA estimates 43.5 million illegal school bus passings occurred during the 2022-23 school year.
Mercury Insurance advises drivers to leave earlier to reduce speed, aggressive lane changes, & rush in congested areas.
Drivers are urged to eliminate phone distractions, relearn school zone speed limits, & expect sudden pedestrian or bicycle movements.
Motorists must stop for school buses with flashing red lights & extended stop arms, adhering to state-specific laws.
Experts recommend maintaining extra following distance to see hazards obscured by vehicles ahead & avoiding risky drop-off maneuvers.
Mercury Insurance emphasizes that planning for extra commute time before leaving is safer than attempting to make it up while driving.