Riding a school bus is said to be the safest way for your child to get to and from school, even safer than riding in the family vehicle. Children are rarely injured when riding the bus. The majority of kids who are injured or killed in school bus accidents are hurt when boarding and exiting the bus. Teaching your children basic school bus safety could save their lives.
Bus Blind Spots
The bus driver cannot see you when you are within 10 feet of the bus. That means, you need to keep moving when you exit. Do not get off and immediately stop and stand there. Do not bend down to tie your shoes, or try to reach under the bus for dropped items. If you have dropped something, let the bus driver know before you reach for it.
If you have to cross the street, cross in front of the bus, not behind, and make sure you are about 10 steps ahead of the bus before crossing. Make eye contact with the driver before stepping off the curb, to make sure the driver knows you are going to walk out in front of him.
Other Cars
Before you approach or exit the bus, make sure the bus is at a complete stop, the stop sign is extended and the red lights are flashing. This telling other cars to stop and wait. Even though the other cars are not supposed to pass the bus, be on the lookout for drivers who break the rules or are not paying attention.
When exiting the bus, look for cars trying to pass on the shoulder. When crossing the street to board the bus or after getting off the bus, look both ways to make sure there are no cars coming.
