National School Bus Safety Week

Whether your child is in preschool or pre-Med, singing on the bus to school or sleeping on the bus to Madrid, bus safety will always be an important part of his or her travel. By teaching proper bus safety to them today, you might help save their lives tomorrow.

About 22.5 million kids ride the school bus every day, and an average of 41 children die in bus-related accidents annually. More than half of these are young children. Though school buses are generally considered one of the safest ways to travel, kids aren’t supervised on the bus individually; being coached on good bus behavior is integral to maintaining their safety during transit.

Sponsored by the National Association for Pupil Transportation, School Bus Safety Week is held every year during the third week in October. To get involved, parents can help teach their children good bus safety as well as respect for the bus driver and other passengers. Most kids don’t realize it, but the bus is considered an extension of the school itself; this means that school rules and regulations are still in observance during the bus ride to and from school.

Here are some tips to teach children about being safe on (and around) the school bus.

• Always be alert and aware of your surroundings. Always look both ways when crossing streets, and cross only at intersections and crosswalks. When going home, always cross at least ten feet in front of the bus to ensure that the driver sees you.
• Get to your bus stop at least five minutes early, before your bus is supposed to arrive.
• Pay attention to the traffic signals and lights on your street. Always obey them.
• Always walk in groups or at least with one other bus mate. Walk facing the traffic, not away from it, so you can always see where cars are coming from—and make sure that they can see you, too.
• Stand away from the curb at the bus stop to avoid being hit.
• Stand in a courteous, orderly line, just as you would at school. Do not shove, kick or push fellow riders, especially when getting on and off the bus.
• Use the bus steps and rail to enter and exit the vehicle; don’t jump off the steps. Don’t ever crawl beneath the bus!
• Sit in your seat quickly, without delaying in the aisle. This could cause an accident with another passenger. Stay out of the aisle until the bus has come to a complete stop and it is your turn to get off the bus.
• Listen carefully to the bus driver. Stay in your seat and keep your hands and objects to yourself. These should not be put out the window, either!
• Don’t distract the driver. Talk quietly and avoid misbehaving; you may want to tell children to “be on their best behavior” or to use their “inside voices.”