Keep Your Kids Safe All Year
Believe it or not, school buses are the safest way for children to get to and from school. Each year, the bus drivers are required to give school bus safety drills for knowing how to get on or off the bus and the proper behavior during the bus ride. This is an important security measure because what makes the bus unsafe is when your child(ren) or other children on the bus are not following the safety rules for getting on and off the bus or how they are supposed to behave during the ride.
As kids get ready to wait for the bus they get excited because their friends that might not be in their class at school are on the bus. Upon the bus arriving to the house, there are many school bus safety tips that the children should know. It is very important to follow the rules to avoid any traffic-related accidents with the school bus or injuries that might happen while on the bus.
Bus Safety: Practice Makes Perfect
Young children might not understand bus rules. These rules differ from family car rules. However, you can help! Practice school bus rules in your car. This helps your kids learn what to expect for school.
Waiting for the School Bus: Safety Tips
Many kids wait for the bus in their driveway. Some go to a bus stop. No matter where they wait, the same safety tips apply.
When waiting, children should not stand near the road. When you see the bus coming, they should not rush. Instead, they must wait for it to stop fully. Once the bus stops and doors open, children should get on. They must use the handrail on the left. If more than one child gets on, don’t push or shove.
How Children Should Behave on the Bus
Children on the bus must respect safety rules. These rules keep them safe. No parent wants a call about an injury. If a child gets hurt, they should tell the bus driver right away.
Once on the bus, children should find a seat fast. They should look for an empty seat or one with just one person. For safety, two people per seat is good. Three is the most allowed. More than three can be dangerous.
If your child sits in a seat and a friend is nearby, they should not yell. Instead, they should talk quietly, like in a classroom. To avoid injuries, children should not stand in the aisle. Their backpacks should not be in the aisle either. Sometimes, kids bring instruments or sports gear. If this happens, they should find an empty seat for both themselves and their large items.
When your child reaches school or home, they must stay seated until the bus stops completely. Once it stops, children can carefully and quickly grab their things. They should then walk to the front in a single line. At the bus stairs, they should use the handrail on their right. You never know if stairs are slippery or wet.
Outside the School Bus: Safety Tips
After your child gets off the bus safely at their stop, never do a few things. These tips keep all children safe.
First, if your child forgets something on the bus, they must never turn around. They should not walk back to the bus. The child should go straight to a parent at home. If it’s homework, the parent can call the bus garage. They can get the item. Otherwise, it can wait until the next school day. Bus drivers walk through the bus to clean it.
If your child must cross the street in front of the bus, the driver will tell them how far to stand. Often, a driver will say to walk to the mailbox. Other times, if no mailbox is there, the child should stand ten steps from the front of the bus.
Once your child stands at the crossing spot, they need to look both ways (left, right, then left again). They must make eye contact with the bus driver. The driver will give a special hand signal to cross. If the driver waits a bit longer to let you cross, don’t cross on your own. The driver might see a car you don’t. Or, something inside the bus might distract the driver. No matter your age, or if the driver doesn’t know you need to cross, never cross behind the bus. That is completely unsafe for everyone.
In Conclusion
Knowing your bus rules makes riding any bus easier. Following inside and outside bus rules can stop many injuries. It also helps drivers get kids home safely. Be smart on the bus, and don’t play around.
