It’s time for the kids to go back to school and part of each new school year is getting settled into new routines for getting there and back.
Some parents may drive their kids to school. Other moms and dads will put their children on the school bus. Students may be going back to school by walking there, or riding their bicycles.
While Student Safety in getting to and from school is always important, it’s imperative that at the start of the new School Year, that kids and their parents make sure that everyone knows how important school transportation safety is for everyone.
School Transportation Safety Tips
Here are some School Transportation Safety Tips for children of all ages:
1. Kids should walk on the sidewalk, and if there’s no sidewalk then they need to know to walk on the side of the road where they are facing traffic.
2. Kids need to know to always look twice — left and right — before crossing the street.
3. Parents should do a practice walk with their younger children if they are going to be walking to the local elementary this year.
4. Children that ride their bicycle to school should wear a helmet.
5. If children are riding bikes to school, then they need to know the rules for riding on city streets.
6. When on a bicycle, each child should ride single file on the right side of the road, traveling the same way as the traffic is moving.
7. Parents who are entrusting their kids to the school bus driver should walk their kids to the bus stop their first few days, so they get adept at waiting for and getting on the school bus.
8. Kids need to know that school buses are to be respected; they should never cross right in front of a school bus and they need to make sure that the bus driver is able to see them from his driver’s seat.
9. Backpacks should be worn with both straps being used, so their weight is evenly distributed.
10. Backpacks should not weigh over 20% of your child’s body weight, or the child may be hampered in movement from the excessive weight.
Why is this important? Because school-aged children are vulnerable to accidents that cause serious injury or even death as they are on their way to school or return home after a day of classes.
From the Centers for Disease Control:
- As pedestrians, children are at even greater risk of injury or death from traffic crashes due to their small size, inability to judge distances and speeds, and lack of experience with traffic rules.
- Nearly one in four traffic deaths among children ages 14 and under are pedestrian deaths.
