A REMINDER TO PARENTS
As parents, you are an important part of a total safety program
for children who travel by school bus. Children need to learn to be safe
pedestrians as they walk to and from the bus as well as to be safe riders
when they're on the bus. Here's how you can help:
Getting Ready for School
Have your children put everything they carry in a backpack or
school bag so that they won't drop things along the way.
Have them wear bright, contrasting colors so that they will be
more easily seen by drivers. Better still, attach a piece of high
visibility florescent and retro reflective material to their clothing or
backpack.
Make sure they leave home on time so that they walk to the bus
stop and arrive before the bus is due. Running can be dangerous.
Walking to the Bus
Stop
Go to the bus stop with a young child and have older children
walk in groups. There's safety in numbers because groups are easier for
drivers to see. Don't let pre-school children or pets go with your school
child. They can be dangerous near traffic.
Practice good pedestrian behavior along the way:
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Walk on the sidewalk if there is one. |
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If there is no sidewalk, stay out of the street if at all
possible. |
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If you must walk in the street, walk single file, face
traffic and stay as close to the edge of the road as you
can. |
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Stop and look left, right and then left again if you must
cross a street. Do the same thing at driveways and alleys.
Exaggerate your head turns and "narrate" your actions so that your
child knows you are looking left, right and
left. |
Waiting at the Bus
Stop
Don't let your child play running games or push or shove at the
bus stop. It's too dangerous near traffic.
Make sure you child stands at least 6 feet (3 giant steps) from
the road while waiting for the bus. The child will then be out of the way
of traffic. Have younger children practice taking 3 giant steps to become
familiar with what 6 feet means. And have older children estimate how far
6 feet are from various objects.
Getting On & Off the
Bus
Make children stay at least 6 feet away from the bus until the
driver says it's O.K. to enter. Children will then be able to see the
driver and the driver can see them.
If children must cross the street to the bus, remind them to
wait for the driver to signal that it's safe to cross. They should cross
the street 10 feet (5 giant steps) in front of the bus where they can see
the driver and the driver can see them.
Warn children that, if they drop something near the bus, they
should never ever pick it up. Instead, they should tell the bus driver and
follow the driver's directions. If they bend over to pick up a dropped
object, they might not be seen by the driver and could be hurt if they
driver pulls away from the stop.
Remind children to look to the right before they step off
of the bus. Drivers in a hurry sometimes try to sneak by buses on the
right.
Teach your children to secure loose drawstrings and other
objects that may get caught in the handrail or door of the bus as they are
exiting.
Give your child a note or follow your school's procedures if
you wish the child to get off at a stop other than the one to which he/she
is assigned. The driver isn't allowed to let a child off the bus at
another stop without written permission.
If you decide to meet your child at the bus stop after school,
wait on the side where the child will be dropped off, not across the
street. Children can be so excited at seeing you after school that they
dash across the street and forget safety rules.
Riding the Bus
Remind your children to be good bus riders. They
should:
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Talk quietly. |
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Be courteous to the bus driver and follow the driver's
directions. |
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Keep the aisles clear. |
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Stay seated for the entire bus
ride. |
We want your child to be safe whey they travel to and from
school. As you help us with the above rules, we hope you will see that
school bus safety starts at home.
A message brought to you by:
U.S. Department of Transportation
National Safety Council
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