With the annual observance of School Bus Safety Week underway, local school and law enforcement officials are asking motorists to remain cautious around school buses in both Selma and Dallas County.

Selma Chief of Police William T. Riley said drivers need to keep their eyes on the road — and the buses around them — while driving.

“I know we don’t have a whole lot of school buses traveling through our city, but we do have a number of school buses and that is why it is so important for drivers not to be distracted by devices like cell phones,” Riley said.

Cellphones, radios and even passengers can distract drivers, which Riley said is a dangerous prospect when the car is moving at any speed.

“In one split second, it can be disastrous if you hit a child or a bus. So we are asking people to be careful when they are driving and to pay more attention to school buses and children getting on or off of those buses,” Riley said.

According to the Alabama State Department of Education, there were 272 collisions — which resulted in 10 injuries and one fatality — involving school buses across the state during the 2012-2013 school year.

State Department of Education Pupil Transportation Program Administrator Brad Holey said in a press release the department hopes drivers would remain vigilant around buses long after Bus Safety Week has ended.

“We also ask that every citizen of Alabama work to make every week a safe one for the students of our state, not just during School Bus Safety Week,” Holey said.

Don Willingham, interim superintendent of education of Dallas County Schools, said the district currently operates 78 buses that carry some 3,000 students daily.

Willingham said students in the district were discussing school bus safety in their classrooms this week.

“We have encouraged teachers to emphasize bus safety during their classes in some way this week. We want the kids to know what to be aware of both on and off of the buses,” Willingham said.