Why Kenyan and US School Buses Are Yellow in Color
Many individuals ponder the reason why school buses in both Kenya and the United States are painted yellow, as opposed to other colors such as white which is common among most vehicles.
The decision to paint school buses yellow was made in 2017, when the Traffic Amendment Bill 2016 was passed and passed into law.
This bill, sponsored by then Laisamis MP Joseph Lekuton, stipulated that all school buses must be painted yellow, with the school’s name prominently displayed in black.
Additionally, the law also prohibited school buses from operating between 6am and 6pm.
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, who was then the Education Cabinet Secretary, led the implementation of the yellow school buses in Kenya.
He declared that all school buses should only operate within the hours of 6am-6pm, and instructed the police to enforce this rule.
The reason why school buses in both Kenya and the United States are painted yellow is primarily for safety.
The color yellow is highly visible and easily recognizable, making it easy for other drivers to spot the bus on the road.
This is especially important for school buses, as they often make frequent stops to pick up and drop off students, and are often driven on busy roads with heavy traffic.
In the United States, school buses have been required to be painted yellow since 1939, when the National School Transportation Specification and Standards were first established.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the use of yellow paint on school buses has been shown to increase visibility and reduce the risk of accidents.
In fact, the NHTSA states that school buses are the safest form of ground transportation for students, with an accident rate that is nearly eight times lower than that of cars and trucks.
Similarly in Kenya, the yellow color of school buses is intended to make the buses more visible to other drivers on the road, and thus help to reduce the risk of accidents.
The buses are frequently used to transport children to and from school, and safety is of paramount importance.
The yellow color also helps to make the buses easily identifiable as school buses, which can help to prevent confusion and ensure that other drivers are aware of their presence on the road.
In conclusion, school buses in both Kenya and the United States are painted yellow for safety reasons.
The bright yellow color makes the buses highly visible and easily recognizable, which helps to reduce the risk of accidents and ensure the safety of the students being transported.
Why Kenyan and US School Buses Are Yellow in Color
