Oh mylanta – where did our summer go? It’s back-to-school time and that, my friends, means it’s time to talk to your kids about riding the bus safely. Perhaps not the most exciting or desired, but still important.

The school bus is often the safest and most convenient mode of transportation for children. However, when injuries and fatalities do occur, it is often due to incidents that occur outside of the school bus when students are boarding or disembarking. If you have children going back to school, the following tips can keep them safe:

At the Bus Stop, and When They Are Boarding and Disembarking

• Make sure your children arrive at the bus stop before the bus comes and that they wait in a safe place, away from the road.
• Tell your children to stay away from the “danger zone”—an area so close to the bus that the passenger and the driver can’t see each other. If your children can’t see the driver when the bus is moving, they are too close.
• Remind your children not to talk to strangers and to never accept a ride from anyone who approaches the bus stop unless it has been arranged in advance.
• Instruct your children not to board the bus until the red flashing lights are activated and the stop sign is extended. Remind them to look both ways before crossing the street to board the bus.
• Tell your children to always cross the road in front of the bus, never behind, and to wait for the driver to signal that it’s safe to cross.

On the Bus

• Remind your children that, just like at school, there are rules to follow on the bus. While drivers’ rules may vary, the following are common:
  • Go straight to a seat, and remain seated during the entire ride.
  • Speak quietly when talking with friends to avoid distracting the driver.
  • Keep your arms and head inside the bus.
  • Keep the aisles clear of your belongings.