Last updated on April 26th, 2024 at 11:41 pm
The school year starts once again! If our kids are going back to school after a short summer break or starting school for the first time, it’s good to have reminders of how to be safe in our new routine and environment. Today we want to talk about school bus safety and how you can help prepare your children use safe tactics to get to and from school safe and sound!
Getting Ready for School
- Have your children wear bright colors or have a bright backpack to be easily seen by traffic while they walk to the bus stop.
- Place reflective tape on their backpack. This will be helpful in the dark, early morning hours of fall and winter for vehicle drivers to see them.
- Make sure everything is packed in their backpack so that they don’t have to lean over to pick something up that they dropped while near traffic.
- Make sure they know how they are getting home (if they will be riding the bus, if you will be picking them up, or if someone else will be picking them up.) Make sure that a note is sent to the teacher if your routine will be different for any given day to remind your child where they need to be to get home.
On the Way to the Bus
- Walk your young children to the bus stop.
- For older children who will not be accompanied by an adult, make sure they always walk in groups and never alone.
- Make sure they leave for the bus with time to spare so they will not run.
- Always walk on an available sidewalk or beside the street. Do everything possible to stay off the road. If you must walk on the road, walk in a single file line facing traffic as close to the edge as possible.
- Keep an eye on your surroundings at all times for passing cars, the approaching school bus and strangers.
Waiting for the Bus
- Stay ten feet back from the curb (about five giant steps for little kids) until the bus comes to a complete stop.
- Do not run and play games at the bus stop.
Getting on and off the Bus
- Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before approaching the bus to get on.
- If your children need to cross the street after exiting the bus, they should be ten feet in front of (NEVER behind) the bus, make eye contact with the bus driver and cross when the driver indicates it’s safe. All traffic should be at a complete stop and everyone should look left, right and left again before crossing the street.
- If you meet your child after school wait for them on the side he will be dropped off on, not across the street. Your child may be too excited to see you and forget safety rules and dart across the road.
- Make sure that your children’s shoes laces and drawstrings are secure to that they will not trip or get them caught on the bus.
Rules for Kids on the Bus
- Follow all instructions of the bus driver.
- Stay in your seat.
- Do not block the isle.
- Do not eat, drink or chew gum.
- Do not throw items.
- Talk in quiet voices so as to not distract the bus driver.
- When the bus approaches a rail road crossing be silent so the driver can listen for a train.
We wish you all a happy and safe school year!
