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

National crash data underscores the risks as school buses, pedestrians, bicycles and busy drop-off zones return to America's roads

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercury Insurance (NYSE/NYSE TX: MCY) is urging drivers to reset their commuting habits as students head back to school, with federal data showing more than 1,000 people have been killed in school-transportation-related traffic crashes over the past decade.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows 1,069 people were killed in school-transportation-related crashes from 2015 through 2024, an average of more than 100 fatalities each year. The total included 204 school-age children.

The risks extend well beyond students riding school buses. Seventy percent of those killed in school-transportation-related crashes were occupants of other vehicles, while 11% were occupants of school transportation vehicles. Among the school-age children killed, 77 were pedestrians and seven were bicyclists.

Those numbers underscore how quickly the driving environment can change when school resumes. School buses return to regular routes, parents converge on drop-off and pickup zones, children walk and bike to school, and reduced-speed school zones become active again, often during already-busy morning and afternoon commuting hours.

"Back-to-school traffic can change a familiar commute almost overnight," said Justin Yoshizawa, Director of Product Management at Mercury Insurance. "Drivers suddenly have more vehicles, buses, pedestrians and bicycles sharing the road. Leaving a little earlier, slowing down and eliminating distractions can give you more time to react when something unexpected happens."

The danger around school buses is particularly important for drivers to recognize. NHTSA says school buses are among the safest vehicles on the road, with less than 1% of traffic fatalities involving children riding in school transportation vehicles. Children face greater risk when approaching or leaving a bus.

Illegal passing remains a significant concern. NHTSA cites an estimate of 43.5 million illegal school-bus passings during the 2022-23 school year. Every state has laws requiring motorists to stop for a school bus when its red lights are flashing and stop arm is extended.

Mercury recommends drivers make several adjustments as schools reopen:

Leave earlier than you did this summer.
Adding even a few minutes to the morning commute can reduce the temptation to speed, make aggressive lane changes or rush through congested areas.

Expect the unexpected around schools.
Children may enter a crosswalk suddenly, step between parked vehicles or ride bicycles in ways drivers don't anticipate. Slow down and be prepared to stop.

Put the phone away before the car starts moving.
School traffic demands more attention, not less. Set navigation, music and other controls before leaving and avoid handling a phone while driving.

Relearn the school zones on your route.
Drivers may have traveled the same roads all summer without thinking about reduced school-zone speed limits. Watch for flashing signs, crossing guards and changing traffic patterns as classes resume.

Give school buses plenty of room.
Yellow flashing lights indicate a school bus is preparing to stop. Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop. Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm mean the bus has stopped and children may be entering or leaving the roadway. Drivers should know and follow the school-bus laws in their state.

Don't rush the drop-off line.
Follow the school's designated traffic pattern and avoid double parking, unexpected U-turns or dropping children across the street from school. Saving a few seconds isn't worth creating additional risk for pedestrians and other drivers.

Look beyond the vehicle directly ahead.
A stopped or slowing vehicle near a school may be yielding to a pedestrian or crossing guard who isn't immediately visible. Maintaining adequate following distance gives drivers more time to see and respond to what's happening ahead.

"The first few weeks of school are a good time to put a little more patience into your commute," Yoshizawa said. "Most drivers know their route extremely well, but back-to-school traffic introduces variables that haven't been there all summer. The safest approach is to assume you'll need a little more time and a little more space."

School-bus and school-zone laws vary by state and community. Drivers should know the laws where they live and always obey flashing school-bus signals, posted speed limits and crossing guards.

The start of a new school year may add only a few minutes to a driver's commute. Mercury reminds motorists that planning for those minutes before leaving home is much safer than trying to make them up behind the wheel.

Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Traffic Safety Facts: School-Transportation-Related Traffic Crashes, 2015-2024; NHTSA School Bus Safety; NHTSA Reducing the Illegal Passing of School Buses.

For more information about safe driving, visit the Mercury Insurance Resource Center.

About Mercury Insurance

Mercury Insurance (NYSE/NYSE TX: MCY) is a multiple-line insurance carrier predominantly offering personal auto, homeowners, renters and commercial insurance through a network of independent agents in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia, as well as auto insurance in Florida. Mercury writes other lines of insurance in various states, including commercial, business owners and business auto, landlord, home-sharing, ride-hailing and mechanical protection insurance.

Since 1962, Mercury has provided customers with tremendous value for their insurance dollar by pairing ultra-competitive rates with excellent customer service, through more than 4,200 employees and a network of more than 6,340 independent agents in 11 states. Mercury has earned an "A" rating from A.M. Best, as well as "Best Auto Insurance Company" designations from Forbes and Insure.com. For more information visit www.MercuryInsurance.com or follow the company on LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.

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SOURCE Mercury Insurance