Back to school safety isn’t just for kids and their parents; it affects every person in your community! Because the start of school is just around the corner, it is important for everyone to have a refresher on safety tips.
Safety for everyone
Children wait at bus stops, near busy roads and during rush hours and buses share the road with all of us. The biggest risk regarding school buses is children approaching and exiting the bus. Children often do not remember to follow safety practices, so it is up to the motorists in the community to keep safety in mind. Be aware of your surroundings, especially first thing in the morning and late afternoon, as school is starting and ending.
- A bus with flashing lights signals that either children are making their way onto the bus or departing to rush home, so they could easily forget to take the time and look both ways before crossing.
- Yellow flashing lights signals that the bus is about to make a stop, so please approach with caution.
- Red flashing lights signals that the bus has come to a complete stop with children entering or exiting the bus. In many states it is illegal to pass a bus while the red lights flash. Be sure to stay up to date on your state’s traffic laws regarding school buses.
- Children may even linger near bus stops or within their neighborhood waiting for their friends to depart, so make sure you’re driving with extra caution during these hours!
Safety for parents
- Up to date contact information is a critical first step for protecting your child’s safety while at school. Keep the information for both parent's and other emergency contacts current so the school can contact them quickly and efficiently in case of an emergency. It’s a good idea to let the school know if there are periods of time throughout the day that you’re unavailable as well as keeping the schools contact information handy.
- Getting to know other parents is a great way to ensure someone is looking out for your child in the event you are not around, and so is getting to know your child’s bus driver, too!
- Monitoring weather and news channels for incidents that could cause school closures or early dismissals. Keeping up to date with this can help plan ahead to make alternate arrangements if needed.
Safety for students
Safety starts at the bus stop.
Here is a list of important bus stop safety tips for children:
- Try to get to the bus stop at least five minutes early to prevent you needing to rush across any streets to catch the bus.
- Be sure to look both ways before crossing any street and ONLY cross at crosswalks when making your way to the bus.
- While waiting for the bus, make sure to stand or sit far back from the road.
- Always wait for the bus to come to a complete stop and for the bus driver to give the OK before getting off or on the bus.
- If you happen to drop something near the bus, do not attempt to retrieve it on your own. Instead, alert your bus driver so he or she may help you.
- Never accept rides from or even speak to any strangers, if you’re walking home or to the bus stop. Even if the stranger needs help, inform them you are not allowed to talk to strangers, get home and call your parent immediately.
As a student, you can help maintain a safe environment at school by setting a good example and reporting any unsafe behavior. If you see or hear anything unusual and/or suspicious on campus, report it to a teacher or principal immediately.
This type of activity includes:
- An adult who does not work at the school and doesn’t seem to be a parent hanging around the campus, especially if this adult is approaching you or other children.
- Another student talking about bringing weapons or dangerous materials to school.
- Bullying by other students, whether you are the victim or if you see other students being bullied.
A safe community for the children is a safe community for everyone. As the new school year is approaching, whether you are a student, teacher, parent, these tips can help make the school year happy and safe for everyone!