Steps You Can Take To Make Riding The School Bus Even Safe
While the school bus is the safest way to travel to school, children still need to be careful as they get on and off the bus. Nearly two-thirds of school bus related fatalities of school-age children occur outside of the school bus. One-third of those children are between 5 and 7 years old. For this reason younger children should be supervised at the bus stop. Furthermore, passing vehicles cause an estimated two-thirds of school bus loading and unloading fatalities.
Obstructed views and distracted drivers put kids at risk, which is why it’s important that parents teach them about ways to stay safe:
- Children who rush are particularly vulnerable, so make sure they get to the bus stop early. Have them stay three giant steps away from the road until the school bus stops and the door opens.
- Children should never walk behind the school bus. When crossing in front of it, they should stay five giant steps away from the school bus. And they should always make sure the driver sees them and check for passing vehicles before stepping into the roadway.
- Teach children to wait until no cars are coming from either direction before they can cross the street.
- Tell children that conversations and playtime have to wait until they are safely seated, or safely away from the school bus.
- Children should use handrails when getting on and off the school bus and secure any loose or hanging objects, like straps or drawstrings.
- If a child drops something outside the school bus, tell them to never try to pick it up and to tell the driver.
- Children should not yell while riding the school bus. The bus driver needs to be able to hear other vehicles on the road.
Risks For Motorists
Motorists break the law and risk children’s lives when they fail to stop for the school bus as it loads and unloads its passengers. Yet it’s estimated that over 10 million drivers illegally pass school buses every year.
Let others know that putting kids’ lives at risk is not OK.
- Report aggressive drivers and those who fail to obey stop-arm laws to local authorities.
- Encourage your community to take a pledge to break for the school bus. Ways to spread the word are at schoolbusfacts.com.
Play it safe. Respect the ride.
Technology that promotes student safety during school transportation
If your school has invested resources in a school bus tracking app to ensure the safety of their children while riding the school bus, it is best for parents to use it to the fullest extent of their ability. Families can stay connected to their children’s school bus rides by precisely knowing where the school buses are and get real-time notifications regarding the students’ estimated arrival time, pick up time, drop off time, and their status along the routes.
Source: School Bus Facts
