I live in a school district where there isn’t bus transportation. Kids either walk or are driven to school. The schools for each of my children are relatively close, so that’s a plus. However, I personally grew up in a district where it was a regional middle and high school, so we had buses bringing students in from several different towns.

I personally enjoyed riding the bus. Whether it was joking around with some of my friends or even listening to music and catching a 20-minute power nap. Either way, it was an easy ride, and I didn’t have to hoof it all the way to school.

That being said, there are some risks with the bus. Obviously, accidents can happen. It’s so sad to turn on the news and hear about a school bus that collided with another vehicle. I think of the parents and families of the children on those buses and it’s heartbreaking.

There are also the dangers of getting off the bus and crossing the street to start your walk home. You have to be very careful of speeding cars and even the bus itself.

All of that said, Students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a bus instead of traveling by car. Surprising? Well, school buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Still, you want your child to be safe and realize the dangers in front of them and give them tools or habits to get into so that they’re not injured or part of some tragic mishap.

Let’s take a look at 9 tips to keep your kids safe if they take the bus to school as reported by News 12 New Jersey. We want every child to have a great, productive, school year and hopefully, these tip scans give you and your child some peace of mind!

• BUS STOP

  Your child should arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the scheduled bus arrival time. You can show your child where to wait for the bus. They should be at least five steps away from the curb. Remind your child that the bus stop is not a place to run or play.

• BE CONSIDERATE

  You child should treat the property where the bus stop is located with respect.  Don’t damage anything or cause harm to anything.

• WAIT

  Children should always wait until the bus comes to a complete stop and the bus driver signals for them to get on board.  Same with exiting the bus.  Don’t leave your seat until the bus is fully stopped! 

• CROSSING THE STREET

  Your child should never walk behind a school bus. If your child must cross the street in front of the bus, they should walk on a sidewalk or along the side of the street to a place at least five giant steps (10 feet) in front of the bus and make eye contact with the driver and wait for the signal to cross.

• DROPPED SOMETHING?

  If your child drops something near the school bus, like a ball or book, the safest thing is for your child to tell the bus driver right away. Your child should not try to pick up the item, because the driver might not be able to see them.

• DON'T PUSH OR SHOVE

  Students must not push and/or shove their way on or off the bus.  They should take their time and keep their hands to themselves.

• FACE FORWARD

  After finding a seat on the bus, children should face forward.  It’s very easy to want to turn around and talk to friends or get up and switch seats.  But for safety, they should stay in their seat facing forward.

   

• SEAT BELTS

  It might not be cool or hip, but Students should wear provided seat belts. Parents should teach the young children how to do this on their own.

• EXITING

  Exit the bus after it stops and look left-right-left for cars before crossing a street.  Drivers don’t always follow the law, so make sure your kids know to be extra careful!

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