What should a driver check before starting their bus for the day?

Before starting a school bus for the day, it is essential to check the functionality of safety equipment. This includes ensuring that all required safety devices, such as emergency exits, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, reflective triangles, and the bus's lighting systems, are in good working order. Proper functionality of these safety features is crucial for the safety of the students and the driver during the bus route.

While considering weather conditions and bus cleanliness are important aspects of bus operation, they do not directly relate to the immediate safety of students during transport. Ensuring that safety equipment is functional is the top priority because it directly impacts the ability to respond to emergencies or incidents that may occur during the bus operation. Therefore, this focus on safety equipment reflects the priority given to safeguarding the well-being of all passengers on board.