Based on a suggestion from friends, Wally Byrne, special education teacher at Fennimore Elementary School, has passed along “Finn’s Rule” school bus safety information cards to Fennimore Community School District bus drivers, safety leaders, and teaching staff.

“Finn’s Rule” safety card came about due to tragic circumstances. Five-year-old Finn Katona died on Jan. 2, 2025, after falling and being run over by a school bus during a routine bus transfer in the school parking lot of Silver Spring Intermediate School in Sussex.

In an effort to help make sure something like this would never happen to another family, Finn’s parents, Ally Katona and Zach Katona, worked with the School Bus Safety Company, a school bus training facility, to provide school districts with the “Finn’s Rule” laminated cards.

Over 130,000 laminated reminder cards featuring Finn’s first-day-of-school photo (in his Captain America t-shirt) and danger zone diagrams are currently being distributed to school bus drivers nationwide.

The cards remind bus drivers to strictly check bus danger zones (blind spots around the vehicle), count children, and exercise heightened caution before pulling away, particularly during high-risk student loading, unloading, and transfer times.

Byrne, who also is on bus duty at the elementary school, recently received the “Finn’s Rule” cards and will be distributing those throughout the school district.

Additionally, through the School Bus Safety Company, Fennimore School bus drivers, staff, etc., will have access to updated safety training via free webinars.