It’s the most wonderful time of the year (for some people anyway): BACK TO SCHOOL! Mid-August is generally the time when we expect to see big yellow buses make their way back onto the roads after a few months away. In the heat of the summer months, lots of people, from commuting drivers to school students, forget the safe practices that keep everyone safe around school buses. For this reason, we’re running down the list of our best school bus safety tips to refresh everybody’s minds, and make sure to keep reading because there are tips here for EVERYBODY!
Kids:
Stand at your bus stop and don’t approach your bus until it has stopped completely and the driver opens the doors
Stand at least 5 steps back from the curb while waiting for the bus
Stay out of the “Danger Zone”- this means always stay at least 5 steps away from the sides and front of the bus
Keep your feet and belongings out of the aisle
Talk with your friends, but don’t yell
Always stay in your seat until the bus comes to a complete stop at your bus stop
Always check that all cars have stopped before crossing the street
Parents:
Make sure your kids are at their bus stop at least 5 minutes ahead of time to avoid rushing around
Wait with your kids at the bus stop, or plan with other parents to ensure there’s always an adult standing with the kids
Help kids cross the street if need be
Review school bus safety tips with your kids before the start of the school year
More in-depth tips for kids and parents can be found here!
All Drivers:
Be patient- start leaving for work a little earlier to prevent stress and anger if you get stuck behind a school bus
Drive defensively- travel as if a school bus stop is always around the corner and leave yourself plenty of time to stop in case there is
Know the rules- passing a school bus while it’s at a stop/has its red lights flashing is not only dangerous for the kids, it’s illegal
If you see a bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended, you MUST stop at least 10 feet away from the bus regardless if you’re behind it, or coming towards it in the opposite lane
More information about school bus passing and the laws regarding it can be found here!
Thanks for reading, and hopefully you’re more prepared with school bus safety knowledge going into this school year. Keep spreading this information to make school buses safer for EVERYBODY!
