Riding the bus is a very safe way for children to get to and from school, but kids often get hurt when boarding and exiting the bus. There are many factors that can contribute to school bus accidents including driver negligence and malfunctioning stop sign or lights on the bus. Teaching your child basic school bus safety can help protect them from accidents, even if those accidents are someone else’s fault. Here are a few things that you should teach your kids before they start riding the bus on their own.
Practice Pedestrian Safety
Even though you are not walking to school, if you must walk to your bus stop you need to walk safely:
- Plan your route with your parents, and stick to it.
- Look both ways before crossing the street, and use crosswalks when possible.
- Make eye contact and make sure that drivers see you before walking out in front of a stopped or parked car.
- Never take a ride from a stranger, even in bad weather.
Boarding and Exiting the Bus
The majority of school bus accidents occur during boarding and exiting. Protect yourself by following these basics:
- Put away your devices before getting on and off the bus.
- Wait until the bus has come to a complete stop, the stop sign is extended, and the red lights are flashing.
- Look for cars, including cars passing the bus illegally on the shoulder.
- If you must cross the street, cross in front of the bus, not behind it. Walk 10 feet out in front so the bus driver can see you and make eye contact with the bus driver to make sure he knows you are going to cross in front of the bus.
- When exiting the bus, keep moving. Get away from the bus, at least 10 feet before stopping.
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