I love sharing tips and tricks that will help your family out! And these school bus safety tips are definitely helpful.
My kids headed back to school last week and while I was thrilled to add a little more routine to our schedule, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have any worries about sending them back. The truth is…most parents worry about sending their kids off to school.
Classes, friends, peer pressure, grades, and all sorts of things give parents a whole lot to worry and pray about.
In this day and age, there are a whole lot of reasons for parents to be concerned about their kids safety while they're in school.
But what about on the way to school?
There are lots of families who rely on school buses or public transportation to get their kiddos to school.
Are there things parents can do to help their children stay safe when they rely on the bus to get them to school? There sure are! Here are a few ideas to keep your child safer on the way to school.
School Bus Safety Tips
School Bus Rules
For whatever reason, school buses and public transportation are not required to have seat belts. {I know…it seems crazy to me too!}
Talk to your kids about staying in their seats and sitting quietly. The same rules should apply whether there are seat belts or not.
- Sit in your seat and face forward
- Stay in your seat until the bus is fully stopped.
- Don't change seats while the bus is moving.
- Know where the closest emergency exits on your bus is.
It may be easy to assume your kids know the rules that will keep them safe on the bus, but more often than not, they don't. {Or they just don't think about them}.
Go over the basics with them and be sure to discuss anything your child may need to know to stay safe in their seat on the bus.
Awareness First is Safety First
Awareness is step one for safety in any situation whether you're a child or an adult. Riding the school bus or public transportation is definitely NOT an exception.
Children may think that riding a school bus or public transportation offers them some sort of protection against danger, but often, that's not the case.
Teach your kiddo to be watchful of traffic, people, weather, and strange or scary behavior. Encourage them to stay alert and be careful.
Make sure your child understands that they must not make assumptions.
For instance, crosswalks aren't always safe! There are distracted drivers on the road at all times of the day.
Make sure your kiddo knows that even if a signal says WALK, they need to look both ways before they step into the crosswalk.
Safety first rules apply at the bus stop and on the bus just as surely as they apply everywhere else in your child's day.
Bus Stop Awareness
As the days get shorter, the likelihood of your child standing at a bus stop while it's dark increases.
While it's a great idea to make sure your kiddos have clothing and gear with reflective properties for those dark times at the bus stop, if your kiddos are older they'll probably balk at the idea.
Make sure your kids know drivers may not see them waiting at the bus stop or along a sidewalk even if they're wearing reflective tape or colorful clothes.
Remind them to stand where it's safe, off the road, well away from the vehicles. They should be far enough back that they're not in any danger, but on the sidewalk close enough that they can see their bus approaching.
Do A Bus Stop Inspection
Make sure the bus stop has proper lighting. If your child waits for the bus outside your home, you will want to make sure they have a flashlight to use on dark days.
Also be sure the area is free of harmful items such as broken glass or barbed wire or large sticks. Let's face it…if there are boys at the bus stop, there's a good chance those large sticks will be turned into light sabers or swords and if that happens, injuries are pretty much inevitable.
If you live where it's snowy, make sure the bus stop is free of ice and snow during the winter.
If you feel the bus stop is unsuitable for your kids because of hazards, let your schools' transportation office know.
Make sure your kids know that if anyone unusual appears at their bus stop without an apparent reason, they need to tell you immediately.
When you have any concerns, go with your child to the bus stop and see for yourself. Find out what you need to know.
More Rules
You would think that exiting a school bus would be simple, but kids can get hurt if they don't do it properly…so we have some more rules. 🙂
Teach your kiddos to be calm and patient while waiting to exit the bus. Pushing and shoving can result in injuries. If your kiddo struggles with this, suggest that they exit the bus last to avoid the pushing and shoving matches.
If your child needs to cross the road when they get off the bus, tell them to pay attention to the bus driver or crossing guard to get the signal that it's ok to cross the street. Once they get the signal, instruct them to walk across the street quickly and to pay attention to their surroundings.
Kids can be distracted as they go to and from school. They have friends to visit, classes to hurry to, homework to think about, and to add to their distraction levels, many kids have cell phones or other electronic devices that are vying for their attention.
It's up to you as a parent to remind your child that safety is a real issue to think about and talk over. Discuss the bus stop and the bus itself with your child.
Make unannounced visits to your child's bus stop. Introduce yourself to the bus driver. Get familiar with this part of your child's day to ensure that your child is in the safest situation possible so everyone can relax and enjoy the return to school.
Pin These School Bus Safety Tips for Later!
Leave a Reply