Back to School Safety Reminders to Keep In Mind as School Starts Around the County

For 23 million students nationwide the school day begins and ends with a trip on a school bus. The greatest risk is not riding on the bus, but with approaching or leaving the bus. To help children arrive safely, it is essential that adults know the traffic safety rules. When driving in neighborhoods with school zones, slow down and watch out for young people who may be thinking about getting to school but may not be thinking about getting there safely. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood. Watch for children playing or congregating near bus stops. Most importantly, be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic. Obey the school bus laws: Yellow Flashing Lights indicate the school bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles. Red Flashing Lights indicate the bus has stopped and that children are getting on or off. When on a residential street, motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins to move before they start driving again. Here are some good safety tips for the many children who ride school buses to and from school daily. • The Danger Zone is a 10-foot wide area on all sides of a school bus- an area where small children are in the most danger of being hit. In order to be safe around a school bus, students should stay 10 feet away from the bus while waiting for, or after exiting, the bus. • Never cross the street behind a school bus. • Take five giant steps from the front of the bus before crossing the street so the bus driver can see you. • Before boarding, or after exiting the bus, always stay within the bus driver’s sight. • Wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver says it’s ok to board the bus. • Use the handrails to avoid falls. • If you leave something near the bus, never return to the bus to get it. The driver may not see you and may begin moving the bus. • If you drop something near the bus, do not pick it up. Instead tell the bus driver and follow the driver’s instructions. • Stop, Look, and Listen for cars before crossing the street. It’s important for parents to teach children to follow these common sense practices to make school bus transportation safer. The following are safety tips for children as they walk back and forth to school. • Cross only at corners or marked crosswalks. • Stop at the curb or edge of the road. • Stop and look left, then right, then left again, before you step into the street. • If you see a car wait until it goes by. Then look left, right, and left again until no cars are coming. • Never dart out into traffic. • If there is no sidewalk and you have to walk in the road always walk Facing traffic, so you can see any car that might go out of control. “Our children are the future so let’s all work together to insure their safety,” stated Sheriff John McMahon.