No matter where you walk, bike or drive on Central Florida roads, it's highly likely you’ll spot a Lynx bus.
Occasionally, we hear of a bus crash, and it kills me because these are so avoidable. With mass transit in the Orlando area growing, I figured it was time to go over a few things.
Here's what you should know when sharing the road with commuter buses:
First, if you can't see the driver's mirrors, they pretty much can’t see you. Yes, most buses have backup cameras, sensors and all the bells and whistles, but we all know those only help so much.
Secondly, give the buses some room. Their sole purpose is to transport people from one place to another, in a safely and timely fashion. As a fellow driver, you have partial responsibility in the buses' safe operations.
Which brings me to my third point: Florida Statute 316.0815 requires drivers to allow buses back into traffic. I know you’ve seen it, drivers darting around a bus, traffic tailgating just so they can go first. Technically, that’s a moving violation, and would cost a driver over $160.
Finally, always watch out for pedestrians.
I've said it so many times that all of the stress and crashes are 100% avoidable. We need to share the responsibility of safety for all of us to get home.