CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — A new feature on Citrus County school buses will enhance student safety, especially early in the morning when it's pitch black outside.

School District Police Chief Buddy Grant came up with the idea of putting lights on school bus doors to help drivers see the students better.

"School safety starts when the kids get on the bus," Grant said. "The bus driver can make a decision based on what they're seeing, about opening the door, and what they're doing at that stop. They can know what they're facing," he added. 

Kathy Puckett, who has been a bus driver for the Citrus County School District for 22 years, says it can be difficult seeing kids in the early morning hours. 

“It’s very dark in the mornings when we leave, and once the time changes, it’s extremely dark in the morning,” Puckett said. 

“We’ve had a couple of instances where you don’t see the children until they’re right there at the door, and if they’re running a bit late, you know, we may be starting to close the door — we don’t see them until they’re right there,” she continued. 

Officials said the lights are bright, so both students and drivers can see.

Other Bay area school districts are now adding the lights to their buses. 

“With so much going on in the world today, I think security is in the forefront, so we're kind of trying to stay ahead of that," Director of Transportation Marilyn Farmer said. 

Puckett said having the extra light will make a huge difference. 

“Having that light out there is going to illuminate the area and the kids. We’ll see them coming from a further distance,” she explained. 

The district used current funding to cover the costs of the lights, which district leaders said was minimal.