Back to School Safety

During the schools months, millions of children take to the streets and roadways to get to and from school. They walk, ride their bikes, and arrive in cars.
Every year approximately 440,000 public school buses travel more than 4 billion miles to transport 24 million children to and from school and school related activities. For many kids, this is their first time. It is fun and exciting, but we do need to remember a few safety rules.

Learn their bus number. Create a clever saying they can recite so they remember. Like, To school I won’t be LATE, because I ride bus number EIGHT.
Stay with a group while waiting at the bus stop. Once at the stop, do not leave until the bus arrives.
If an adult approaches your child and asks for help or directions, tell them to remember that grownups needing help should not ask children, they should only be asking other adults.
Visit the bus stop with your child and role play situations that could arise. Show them where it is safe to wait and make boundaries so they are not too close to the road. Answer their questions about what to do if it starts raining and exactly what you want them to do in case of an emergency. Children learn the more they practice.

These are just a few ideas to get the school year off on a great foot.