El Paso County is among the most dangerous places in Colorado for school bus safety, according to new data from the Colorado State Patrol. CSP identified distracted driving as one of the top causes of crashes involving school buses in Colorado, with El Paso County ranking in the top three counties statewide.
Over the past several years, the number of such incidents has been substantial. Between 2021 and 2025, CSP investigated 267 crashes involving school buses, with the majority caused by other motorists rather than the school bus driver. Jefferson County recorded the most CSP-investigated school bus crashes over that five-year period with 36, followed by Larimer County with 29 and El Paso County with 28.
Despite the risks posed by other drivers, school buses remain among the safest ways for children to travel to school. CSP said students are 70 times more likely to reach school safely when they take a bus instead of a car, because school buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road. Even so, injuries and deaths still occur due to unsafe driving practices around school buses, according to CSP.
State Patrol leadership is urging local drivers to exercise greater care. "Drivers have to share the road with all types of vehicles and pedestrians. If you're driving behind a school bus, allow for a greater distance and take it slow," said Colonel Matthew C. Packard, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. "Kids aren't always predictable, and stopping is more frequent for bus drivers. We all need to do our part to create a safe environment by exercising patience around school buses."
CSP also outlined several legal requirements that drivers must follow under the Colorado Driver's Handbook. If a school bus is displaying alternating flashing red light signals visible from the front or rear, drivers must stop immediately before reaching the bus — and must stop at least 20 feet away, whether the bus is on the driver's side of the road, the opposite side, or at an approaching intersection. One exception applies: drivers are not required to stop if the school bus, with its red lights flashing, is on a roadway opposite them and separated by a raised or depressed median or other physical barrier. Drivers must remain stopped until the flashing red lights are no longer operating, and should watch for children near the bus and crossing the roadway before proceeding.
CSP also advises drivers to always be alert for students on or near the roadway when a school bus is stopped or approaching.
CSP has not indicated whether any specific enforcement actions or policy changes are planned in response to the data, and it remains to be seen whether local school districts or county officials will respond to El Paso County's ranking with additional safety measures.