As we approach the end of the school year, many student groups start going on field trips and travel via school bus. If you give your child a ride to school each day, he or she may have limited experience riding a school bus. Is your child signed up for activities this summer? He or she is likely to take a school bus at some point.
While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), reports that school buses are one of the safest vehicles on the road, there’s no guarantee that your child will be safe. Some bus drivers are inexperienced, which makes any trip riskier. Here are some tips for keeping your child safest while on a school bus:
Always Use a Seat Belt if One is Available
You won’t always be able to chaperone a class trip, and you can’t assume that the bus driver checks on each child sitting on a bus seat, that’s why it’s important that your child is well-equipped with basic knowledge. One of those basics is to always use a seat belt if one is available.
Depending on where you live, there may already be mandatory seatbelts on school buses. Even if putting on a seatbelt is second nature in the car, remind your child of the importance of wearing one whenever possible.
Following Rules on the Bus
If kids have little to no experience riding a school bus, it can be a little scary and exciting. Some kids have a tendency to roughhouse, too. While chaperones, teachers, and the bus driver are present, there’s no guarantee that children will listen; stress to your child how important it is to follow the rules.
Getting On and Off the Bus
Injuries can happen when children are getting on and off the bus. Here are some good safety reminders to share with your child:
- Always use the handrails
- Double check to make shoe laces are tied
- Stand in single file and wait your turn
- Never push the person in front of you
- Help someone if he or she has fallen down
- Tell the driver if you notice puddles or slippery surfaces on the floor of the bus
Riding on the Bus
Being a bus driver can be stressful. Not only are they responsible for up to around 72 children, but they have to stay focused and alert. Remind your child that riding on a school bus is much like riding in any other vehicle. They need to be a quiet and respectful passenger so that the driver is not distracted.
Children are prone to act silly or get wild on school buses, but explain to your child that it’s not the kind of behavior that they should copy. Staying seated, keeping backpacks out of the aisles, and keeping head, hands, and arm in the bus (not out of the windows) will keep your child a safer passenger.
Walking Around School Buses
Children are often unaware that it’s difficult to see around a school bus. Tell your child to always use a crosswalk, always look for cars, and always make eye contact with the driver before crossing in front of the bus. Encourage him or her to keep a safe distance whenever possible and only cross when they see the stop sign pop-out from the bus.
