School Safety – Bus and Road Safety Reminders

After spending most of the last year in virtual classrooms, many of us are returning to familiar routines this year, including putting our children on the bus or driving them to school. Here are some safety steps to take to help ensure children in your neighborhood stay safe getting to and from school.

Bus Safety

• Make sure your children are at their bus stop five minutes early. This ensures children are in a safe location as the bus pulls up.
• Teach your children not to run up to the bus as it approaches. Children should wait until the bus comes to a full stop and the driver opens the door.
• Children must walk in front of the bus (never behind) if they need to cross the street to get on or off.
• Remind your children to stay seated while the bus is moving and to use “inside” voices when talking to friends.

Driving and Road Safety

• Use extra care when backing out of a driveway or garage.
• Drive slowly on neighborhood streets and look for children walking or riding their bikes. This is especially important in neighborhoods without sidewalks.
• Obey school bus laws in your state and be observant of yellow and red flashing lights that buses use to alert drivers to slow down or stop.
• Approach crosswalks in school zones with caution.
• Always follow the posted speed limit in school zones.

Together, we can help make traveling to and from school safer for children and families. More information about bus safety can be found on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.